Maryland State Senate Panel Backs Gay Marriage Bill

A state Senate committee voted on Tuesday in favor of a gay marriage bill, moving Maryland a step closer along the path toward becoming the latest U.S. state to legalize same-sex nuptials.

The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee voted 7 to 4 in favor of the bill - supported by Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley - and the full Senate was expected to vote later in the week. The bill was approved last week by the lower house.

Seven of the 50 U.S. states have legalized gay marriage - New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Iowa and Washington state, as did Washington, D.C. The gay marriage law in Washington state has not yet taken effect.