By Advocate.com Editors
Two delegates whose yes votes are needed to pass marriage equality in Maryland were nowhere to be found during a scheduled vote Thursday, and now Sam Arora, who cosponsored the bill, is reportedly planning to vote no.
Del. Jill Carter has pledged support for the bill but was out sick today (previously she raised concerns about the legislation). Arora, who has been wavering on his support for the bill, reportedly told Del. Kumar Barve he's now planning to vote against it. He was missing in action for the scheduled vote Thursday.
"I don't know what to think," Barve, who is the lead sponsor of the bill, told Metro Weekly Thursday night. "He told me that he was going to vote against it on the floor. I've been in the legislature for quite a while and nothing is a reality until you actually push the button. And these are hard issues. But he came to me and told me that he was having difficulty with the concept of it."
Arora campaigned heavily on a gay rights platform, including support for marriage equality. On Thursday, he tweeted that he had been "hearing from constituents, friends. Please keep sending your thoughts (sam.arora@house.state.md.us). Thinking & praying hard."
Barve said he has no idea what caused Arora to change his mind.
"Is it unusual for a sponsor to change his mind on a piece of legislation that they've sponsored? No, it's not. People do that all the time, but not on big social issues like this. It's somewhat unheard of."
Hours before the decision to delay the vote, Gov. Martin O'Malley urged lawmakers to pass the legislation.
There is a chance a vote could happen Friday — 12 votes are needed to pass.
Read the full story here.
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