Maryland passes Gay Marriage and Dream Act

The state of Maryland has legalized gay marriage and passed the Dream Act. It is the first state to pass the Dream Act via popular vote.

I am so happy!

From Washington Post:

12:05 am Maryland Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

Voters in deep-blue Maryland on Tuesday legalized same-sex marriage, an historic move that will allow gay couples to wed in the Free State starting in January. The result offered fresh evidence of the country’s rapid evolution on the issue.

Prior to Tuesday, gays and lesbians had been granted the right to marry by courts and state legislatures but never at the ballot box. Two other states — Maine and Washington — were weighing similar measures, and voters in Minnesota were considering a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage.

11:44 pm Maryland Approves Dream Act

Voters in Maryland on Tuesday approved the ballot measure known as the Dream Act, which would allow illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at the state’s colleges and universities if certain conditions are met.

Maryland becomes the first state to approve Dream Act legislation by a popular vote. Thirteen states have similar policies, although none faced a statewide test at the ballot box. Federal Dream Act legislation has for years remained stalled in Congress.

Under Maryland’s Dream Act, students who can prove that they have attended Maryland high schools for at least three years and that either they or their guardians have filed state taxes would be allowed to enroll at community colleges at in-state rates.

Those who attain an associate’s degree or 60 credit hours could transfer to a four-year institution. State analysts have estimated that the program could cost taxpayers $3.5 million annually and require universities to cover the cost of lost tuition. Others have estimated that the measure would lead to lower rates of incarceration and other economic benefits to the state.

Follow me on Facebook! • Follow me on Google+