SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Illinois is on its way to becoming the 15th state to allow gay marriage after a Tuesday vote in the state Legislature.
A bill to legalize gay marriage passed the state House 61-54 on Tuesday, and the state Senate approved the changes later that day, according to media reports. The bill was amended from a version passed by the Senate in February, changing the effective date, according to a news release from Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon's office.
The legislation heads to the desk of Gov. Pat Quinn, who said he'll sign it into law. Illinois will begin to allow same-sex marriages in the summer.
Illinois already has civil unions, but the marriage bill affords other legal and financial protections for gay couples.
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