The Convention has adjourned for lunch and for more strategizing and dealing. No successful vote on anything yet, but it’s already clear that the Convention will vote on some amendment to the Constitution barring same-sex marriage. If those wishing to keep gay marriage intact - or at least keep from amending the Constitution - had enough votes, the motion to adjourn the Convention would have won, instead of suffering a 153-44 defeat. There is Cambridge Senator Jarrett Barrios’ proposed amendment to make gay marriage rights explicit in the Constitution, but I expect that this won’t have the votes if adjournment did not. (I don’t have a roll call tally in front of me, however). Very likely, the eventual amendment will have some civil union measure, but I’m hardly confident in that outcome or even that the form it takes will be meaningful. Of course, whatever measure passes this convention needs to be passed next year and eventually by a majority of the electorate. The results of this convention are hardly final, then, but it’s sad that the Legislature didn’t settle the matter squarely on the side of equal rights.
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