Gay Ill. lawmaker announces engagement on House floor to highlight issue of same-sex marriage

Ill. lawmaker’s engagement spotlights gay marriage

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois lawmaker Deborah Mell is sharing some bittersweet news with her colleagues.

The sweet is that she’s engaged. The bitter is that Illinois doesn’t recognize gay marriage. So she plans to get married in Iowa, which does.

Mell rose on the Illinois House floor Wednesday to announce her engagement and say she looks forward to the day when same-sex couples can marry in Illinois.

A 1996 law specifically defines marriage as applying only to a man and a woman. Illinois doesn’t allow civil unions for same-sex couples, and recent efforts to begin offering civil unions have fallen short.

Mell’s announcement was greeted with applause. Several lawmakers rose to congratulate the 41-year-old, who got engaged two weeks ago her girlfriend of six years.