Obama Encourages Ill. Lawmakers to Legalize Gay Marriage

Wants vote in January

President Obama is urging lawmakers in his home state to legalize same-sex marriage.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Democrats Sen. Heather Steans and Rep. Greg Harris intend to put the "Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act" up for a vote during January's lame-duck session. The act would legally recognize same-sex marriages and make Illinois the 10th state in the country to do so.

Illinois passed a civil union law in 2011, which gave same-sex couples many of the same legal rights afforded to married couples. However, it fell short of granting same-sex couples full marriage rights.