The effort to repeal Illinois's outdated HIV principal reporting law took a major step forward this afternoon when the Illinois House of Representatives voted 61-55-1 in support of Representative La Shawn Ford's HB 61, which repeals the principal notification sections of Illinois' Sexually Transmissible Disease Control Act. The bill next moves to the Senate.

A conservative Chicago-based political action committee is telling Downstate voters to ask a legislator to vote against the proposed marriage equality bill, saying children raised by same-sex couples will "never know their real parents."

Des Moines, IA--On March 6, ten Republican Iowa State Representatives [ALONS, HEARTSILL, SCHULTZ, SHEETS, DOLECHECK, FRY, GASSMAN, SALMON, KOESTER, and LANDON] introduced House File 444, which would prohibit county registrars in Iowa from issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples until a constitutional amendment on marriage could be put to a general vote.  Further, the measure specifically seeks to sidestep the separation of powers in Iowa's government by prohibiting the Iowa Supreme Court from having future jurisdiction on the issue.

A bill to legalize gay marriage in Minnesota has enough votes to clear one of its first legislative hurdles, over protests from opponents.

Nine of the 17 members of the House Civil Law Committee told the Associated Press that they would be voting for the legislation that repeals the state law defining marriage as between opposite-sex couples only. That would be enough votes for the bill to get through the committee so it could head to the full House.

A federal judge expected to deliver a ruling today that could have invalidated Michigan's ban on same-sex marriage has decided to postpone his ruling, the Detroit News reports:

Federal Judge Bernard Friedman stayed his decision in the matter Thursday so he can wait until the U.S. Supreme Court decides two other federal cases, which will likely be in June.

Two Hall of Fame athletes signed a letter supporting a gay marriage bill on its way to the Illinois House.

Former Chicago Cubs shortstop Ernie Banks and former Chicago Bears defensive end Richard Dent, along with former Bears Hunter Hillenmeyer and Brendon Ayanbadejo, wrote that the "Illinois General Assembly should act now and give same-sex couples the freedom to marry."

Last spring, after the Lincoln, Nebraska City Council passed a gay rights addition to the city's nondiscrimination ordinance, the Nebraska Family Council and Family First gathered 10,000 signatures to nullify the ordinance.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -Republicans are again proposing a change in the Iowa Constitution to ban gay marriage.

Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, one of the NFL's most vocal supporters of same-sex marriage, is joining the cause as it heads to the Supreme Court this spring.

Kluwe and Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo filed an amicus brief to the high court in February, arguing that California's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional and that professional athletes have an important role to play in promoting tolerance.

The organizers of a referendum for a Lincoln gay rights ordinance are considering suing the city to force its leaders to schedule an election, as was sought by 10,000 people who signed the petition last year.

The Lincoln City Council voted Monday to put two issues on the ballot in May for Lincoln voters to decide, but not the gay rights ordinance, leaving those who circulated petitions wondering why Lincoln city officials won’t schedule the election they requested through a petition drive.