A member of the D.C. Council and Georgetown alumnus is poised to introduce a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the city, a move that could further intensify debate of the issue across the country.

The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009 is the project of David Catania (SFS ’90, LAW ’93) (I-At Large). Catania, who is gay, is expected to introduce the bill later this month, according to [the Washington Blade](https://www.washblade.com/2009/9-11/news/localnews/15137.cfm), which cited sources close to the councilman.

The bill has 10 co-sponsors, which virtually guarantees its passage in the 13-member D.C. Council, and Mayor Adrian Fenty (D) supports same-sex marriage. Under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, Congress has 30 weekdays to review D.C. legislation; if it fails to act in the allotted time, the bill would become law.

The bill would alter the current definition of marriage in the District to “the legally recognized union of two people.” It would allow “any person who otherwise meets the eligibility requirements . [to] marry any other eligible person regardless of gender.”

The bill would eliminate domestic partnerships by 2011, though couples who already registered for such partnerships would be able to maintain them or convert them for free to a city-sanctioned marriage.

“We . welcome any progress towards marriage equality in the District,” said Joe Graumann (SFS ’11), co-chair of GU Pride. “We are extremely proud to count Councilman Catania as a Georgetown alumnus.”

The D.C. Council voted 12-1 in May to recognize same-sex unions performed in other states.

Same-sex marriages are currently permitted in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and Iowa. New Hampshire will begin granting same-sex marriages on Jan. 1, 2010, and the issue will be on the ballot in Maine in November of this year. California allowed same-sex marriages between June 16, 2008, and Nov. 4, 2008, when voters approved an amendment to the state constitution outlawing the same-sex marriage. New York recognizes same-sex marriages performed in other states.

The D.C. Council’s recognition of same-sex marriages from other states last spring was met with significant opposition locally, but Congress did not act to reject the bill. Activists requested a referendum to reverse the law, but the [D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics](https://www.dcboee.org/) denied the request, saying that referendums cannot be held on matters that violate the city’s Human Rights Act.

Eight activists, led by Bishop Harry Jackson, senior pastor of [Hope Christian Church](https://www.thehopeconnection.org/) in Beltsville, Md., and founder of [Stand4MarriageDC.com](https://stand4marriagedc.com/), filed a request on Sept. 1 to hold a ballot initiative to prevent same-sex marriages from being administered in D.C. The Archdiocese of Washington supported the request.”