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Governor: Will Sign Same-Sex Marriage "Pretty Soon"

The same-sex marriage legislation approved yesterday, Nov. 5, by the Illinois General Assembly will become law by the end of the month.

Gov. Pat Quinn hosted a party last night at the executive mansion in Springfield to celebrate. The festivities morphed into an engagement party when one of a handful of openly gay legislators, Rep. Sam Yingling, D - Grayslake, proposed to his partner.

The same-sex marriage vote is a victory for Quinn. The Democrat's running for re-election, and so-called "marriage equality" is popular with Democratic voters.

The governor says he'll sign the measure into law "pretty soon," but his office will take time to organize a big event.

"We’re going to make an arrangement so lots and lots of people can come to the ceremony," he said. "It's important to have an opportunity for people who worked so hard in the community to pass marriage equality, to have an opportunity to be there at the bill signing. This is what democracy is all about, people banding together for a cause they believe in, passing a law that makes our state a better place. And we'll have the announcement very soon about where and when."

When Quinn signed Illinois' civil union bill in January 2011, roughly 1,000 people attended, at the Chicago Cultural Center. It's expected he'll sign the marriage legislation in Chicago, too.

There's no real rush; same-sex couples won't be able to actually tie the knot until June 1, when the legislation takes effect.

Amanda Vinicky moved to Chicago Tonight on WTTW-TV PBS in 2017.
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