The full marriage equality bills which will be discussed at the Italian upper chamber of the parliament from next Tuesday (18 June) ‘are not likely to pass’.

That’s what a source from the Italian Senate told Gay Star News but he added ‘a sort of civil partnership in the UK and German style is more likely to be approved.’

Once the bills are discussed by the Justice Commission, they will be voted by the Senate and then by the Camera, the lower chamber.

After two days of suspense, the Illinois House of Representatives on Friday (31 May) failed to vote on a bill to make same-sex marriage legal in the state.

The Illinois General Assembly adjourned for the summer without calling for a vote on SB10, the the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act.

Though the marriage equality bill has already passed in the Illinois Senate, 60 votes were needed in the House in order for the bill to move to Governor Pat Quinn for signature.

The governor of Puerto Rico signed bills into law on Wednesday (29 May) that protect LGBT people against discrimination and adds to the country's domestic violence law protections for sexual orientation, marital status and gender identity.

Governor Alejandro García Padilla signed the legislation at his official residence in San Juan and issued a statement via Twitter: 'The dignity of being a human being is inviolable because we are all the same and we must be equal under the law.'

The Puerto Rican House of Representatives on Friday (24 May) approved a sweeping nondiscrimination bill that protects lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in employment, housing, governmental services, public accommodations and private entities.

The Senate has already approved the bill and Governor Alejandro García Padilla has vowed to sign the legislation into law.

The vote occurred as similar legislation - the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) - remains stalled in the US Congress.

Harvey Milk Day (22 May), celebrating the state’s first openly gay man elected to US office, is being met by protests.

SaveCalifornia, a family values group, have called for parents to boycott Harvey Milk Day.

They have described Milk as a ‘predator of teens’ and have advised California parents to ‘protect your child from Harvey Milk Gay Day.’

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton officially signed gay marriage into law Tuesday (14 May) during a spirited ceremony on the steps of the statehouse attended by thousands of cheering supporters.

'What a day for Minnesota,' Dayton said. 'And what a difference a year and an election can make.'

The governor pointed out that last year, there was concern that same-sex marriage might be banned forever in the state. But the referendum was defeated last November and 'now my signature will make it legal in two-and-a-half months.'

Minnesota might become the 12th state in the US to legalize gay marriage next week and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is eager to see that his state becomes the 13th.

Proposed marriage equality legislation has been stalled for some time in the Illinois House of Representatives and Quinn is getting tired of waiting.

Former Florida governor Charlie Crist has announced his support of gay marriage.

The Republican-turned-Democrat took to his Facebook page this week to say he supports marriage equality in the swing vote state.

Crist wrote: ‘Some great news: On Tuesday, Delaware became the 11th state to allow marriage equality. And just a few days ago, Rhode Island adopted a similar measure, which followed victories last fall in Maine, Maryland and Washington.

Delaware is to vote on whether they wish to become the 11th US state to pass same-sex marriage today (7 May).

The US state's Democrat-controlled Senate is expected to pass the bill after the General Assembly approved it several weeks ago.

Governor Jack Markell is an outspoken supporter of gay marriage and has vowed to sign the bill into law if it is cleared by the US senate.

Texas Governor Rick Perry is comparing keeping gays and lesbians out of the Boy Scouts of America to fighting against slavery.

With an organization's national executive board set to vote this month on a proposal that would drop a ban on gay members, Perry was among those who appeared on the anti-gay Family Research Council's program Stand With Scouting Sunday.

The proposal continues to ban gay and lesbian adults from being involved in the organization.

Rhode Island is set to become the 10th state to legalize same-sex marriage today (2 May).

While it is the last holdout among the other five New England states, the heavily Catholic state will join its neighbors when Governor Lincoln Chafee signs the bill into law at 6pm EDT.

The first weddings could occur on 1 August when the new law will take effect.

Same-sex marriage supporters renewed their fight to get it legalized this year, and the recent Senate vote was seen as the final test after the House easily passed the bill.

The state senate in Rhode Island has passed a bill that will make their state the 10th in the US to allow gay marriage.

In a 26-12 vote Wednesday (24 April), the Democratic controlled senate passed a bill that had made it out of the judiciary committee just a day earlier.

Rhode Island had been the only New England state where gay marriage is not yet legal. Governor Lincoln Chafee says he plans to sign the bill into law.

In a statement after the vote, Chafee said the senators has chosen 'tolerance and fairness over division and discrimination.'