Thousands of gay and lesbian couples could receive a Valentine’s Day present from Gov. Chris Gregoire – the ability to get married legally.
It’s a possibility given the last few steps in the process for a bill to legalize marriage for same-sex couples.
Monday morning at 8, the House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the version passed by the Senate this week. When the hearing ends, the committee is scheduled to vote on it. Passage is expected.
Then the bill must flow through the House Rules Committee and onto the calendar for floor action.
Barring any hiccups, Wednesday looks like the absolute earliest House members could vote, though it is more likely to happen Thursday.
If it passed Thursday night (or early Friday morning since the House loves to debate past midnight) and reached the governor’s desk sometime Friday, she’d have five days in which to affix her signature on it.
That means she could act on Feb. 14.
Stay tuned.
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