Gay marriage legalized in Washington State

Below are excerpts of Washington governor signs gay marriage law, by Nicole Neroulias, Reuters.  For an article against gay marriage, see this Deseret News article, and and this rebuttle article from the Huffington Post.
--
OLYMPIA, Wash (Reuters) - Washington state became the seventh in the nation to put a law on its books recognizing same-sex marriage on Monday, as opponents of the measure signed by Governor Christine Gregoire vowed to try to prevent it from ever taking effect.



The measure, which won final approval from state lawmakers last Wednesday, remains essentially on hold until at least early June, following a standard enactment period that runs until 90 days after Washington's legislative session ends.


Opponents launched their own campaign on Monday to seek the statute's repeal at the polls in November through a ballot measure that could delay enactment further or halt it entirely.


Still, the bill-signing marked another key victory for gay rights advocates after a federal appeals court declared a voter-approved gay marriage ban in California unconstitutional last week, and the New Jersey state Senate approved a same-sex marriage bill earlier on Monday.


...
Supporters of same-sex marriage are pushing similar statutes in Maryland and New Jersey, whose Democratic-controlled state Senate in Trenton approved a gay marriage bill earlier on Monday. Republican Governor Chris Christie has vowed to veto it if it reaches his desk.


A referendum to legalize gay marriage in Maine has qualified for the November ballot there. Six other states already recognize gay marriage -- New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and Iowa -- as does the District of Columbia.