Gay Marriage Efforts Across America

(2013 Marriage, Civil Union, Domestic Partnership Map)

Marriage equality is currently legal in several U.S. states (including Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, and Washington), in Washington D.C., and in two U.S. Native tribes (specifically the Coquille Tribe and the Suquamish Tribe). Additionally, Rhode Island recognizes legal same-sex marriages performed elsewhere and California recognizes same-sex marriages performed between 06/16/08-11/05/08.

That doesn't mean that new marriage equality efforts aren't erupting all over the place in 2013!... One more realistically possible than the others, of course... Check this out:

Five gay and lesbian couples unsuccessfully applied for marriage licenses in Hattiesburg, MS, yesterday as part of the Campaign for Southern Equality's "We Do Campaign":

Kristin Welch, 27, of Hattiesburg applied for a license with her partner, Jenna Lockwood, 25. "We felt that it was important as a symbolic gesture to request that license to put a face with the people who are being discriminated against," she said.

Legislative leaders in Rhode Island's House and Senate introduced marriage equality bills earlier today:

Democratic Rep. Art Handy of Cranston introduced his bill in the House Thursday afternoon. More than 40 members of the 75-member House signed on as co-sponsors. Moments later, Democratic Sen. Donna Nesselbush of Pawtucket introduced her version of the legislation, which has 11 sponsors in the 38-member Senate.House Speaker Gordon Fox has called for a gay marriage vote in the House this month.The measure faces a potentially bigger challenge in the Senate, however.

Minnesota Senator Scott Dibble (DFL) will advance a marriage equality bill in the Minnesota Senate within 1-2 months:

Sen. Scott Dibble of Minneapolis says Wednesday that Democrats taking power at the Capitol next week plan to focus early in the session on what he called "kitchen-table issues" of improving the economy and creating jobs. But he says gay marriage backers in the Legislature want a vote in 2013. Dibble, who is gay, says he believes allowing same-sex couples to marry is a kitchen-table issue too. Another DFL senator, John Marty, has pushed for a gay-marriage vote in 2013 but says he'll let Dibble take the lead.

Lastly (and more exciting!) despite NOM's assurances saying the opposite, a marriage equality bill successfully passed through an Illinois Senate committee by an 8-5 vote. The bill will now pass onto the full Illinois Senate chamber. I'm not sure where this bill stands within the Illinois House.