New Mexico: House committee barely passes marriage equality bill

By a narrow 5-4 vote, the New Mexico House Public Affairs Committee passed a bill to place marriage equality to a public vote.

The bill would let voters decide the issue of same-sex marriage, but it also states churches would not be required to recognize the same-sex marriage bill. After hearing very different opinions and personal experiences, lawmakers decided along party lines to pass the bill, which moves it to the next committee.

"We should not discriminate. The state should be doing everything possible to encourage people to enter into committed, long-term relationships, especially when there's children involved," Rep. Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe, said.

"What happens to those kids? Those kids were not created in that relationship," same-sex marriage opponent Jose Vasquez said.

Egolf said he's been contacted by hundreds of people who thanked him for sponsoring the bill.

The bill must pass out of two more committees before reaching to the floor of the state House. If approved by both state chambers and signed by the governor, marriage equality would appear on the November 2014 ballot.

The prospects of the bill are uncertain as the New Mexico legislature has voted down even domestic partnerships in the past.