ANNAPOLIS — A Maryland House committee on Friday narrowly passed a measure to legalize same-sex marriage, advancing the bill to a final chamber vote that could make Maryland the sixth state to legalize such unions.
The legislation passed the House Judiciary Committee 12-10.
Delegate Tiffany Alston, a co-sponsor, voted against the bill.
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“My community does not like this bill and doesn’t want it to pass,” said Ms. Alston, Prince George’s Democrat, whose absence at a committee meeting Tuesday delayed the vote. She said she needed more time to consider the issue.
The state Senate voted in favor of the bill last week.
Gov. Martin O’Malley, a Democrat, has said he will sign the legislation if it is passed by the Democrat-controlled General Assembly. However, opponents have vowed to force the issue to Maryland voters through a 2012 referendum.
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