Minnesota Republican May Be First to Sponsor Marriage Equality

A Republican senator in Minnesota’s legislature is poised to co-sponsor a bill legalizing same-sex marriage. Branden Petersen would be the first lawmaker from his party in any state to do so.
Petersen will co-sponsor the bill by Senator Scott Dibble of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party if certain conditions are met, said Petersen’s legislative aide, Alex Kharam. Religious leaders could choose not to participate in gay ceremonies and children of homosexual married couples would be guaranteed the same financial protections as those of heterosexual married couples, Kharam said.