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by GoPride.com News Staff

Chicago, IL — A number of Illinois lawmakers have started discussions to bring full marriage equality to the Land of Lincoln as early as 2013, according to an exclusive report in the Windy City Times.

"I do not delude myself into thinking this will be an easy process," openly gay State Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) told the Times. "But we need to take the first step."

Harris along with state Reps. Deb Mell, Ann Williams, Kelly Cassidy, Sara Feigenholtz and state Senator Heather Sterns are in preliminary talks with pro-equality groups including Equality Illinois, Lambda Legal and The Civil Rights Agenda. 

Advocates say the November elections will be crucial for allies to LGBT community.

Illinois' civil unions law, which was first introduced by Harris in February 2007, took effect on June 1, 2010 and provides many of the same protections afforded married couples. According to Equality Illinois, more than 3,700 Illinois couples have applied for civil union licenses over the last six months.

Same-sex marriage is legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont, as well as the District of Columbia. 

Read Kate Sosin's full story in the Windy City Times

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