The Governor of Minnesota on Tuesday is expected to sign legislation giving official legal status to Marriage Equality.  It’s a major advancement of Gay Rights in Midwestern America.

The upper house of the State Assembly passed the gay marriage on a 37-30 vote.  When the tally was announced after more than four hours of debate, a huge cheer erupted in the chamber and gallery, where spectators stood and applauded. 

This comes four days after the lower house passed the bill on a 75-59 vote.  Gay marriage opponents who were out in force for the earlier lower house vote were nowhere to be seen on Monday.

Twelve states and the District of Columbia now allow any two adults to marry regardless of sexual orientation.  Only one other state in the Midwest, Iowa, is part of that group, and only because of a state Supreme Court order in 2009.  Illinois has legislation pending a lower house vote.