A marriage equality bill is all but ensured to be passed in the Washington state legislature and will be signed into law by their governor, making it the seventh state in the country to allow gay men and lesbians to get married (well, to members of the same sex, that is). Congratulations, Seattle, you're about to get that much more self righteous.

Today Mary Margaret Haugen, a Democratic state senator announced she would vote for the bill, giving it enough votes to pass in the Senate. It already has enough votes in the House and the governor, Chris Gregoire, already pledged to sign it into law. Haugen said in her statement, that she took so long to decide because she had "to reconcile my religious beliefs with my beliefs as an American, as a legislator, and as a wife and mother who cannot deny to others the joys and benefits I enjoy." Not a ringing endorsement, but we'll take it.

The news today was really a crushing blow to the Portland gays, who are now rank second in the Pacific Northwest once again.

[Image of a gay marriage celebration in Washington D.C. via Getty]