Well just look at that big goofy smile on Mark Leno! He's had a good day today, and so have all of California's queers. (And who, in this state, isn't just a little queer in one sense or another?) Assembly Bill 849, which would grant marriage equality to same-sex couples, passed its last hurdle to being considered by the state senate. Although a similar bill lost by five votes a few months ago, this one has an excellent shot at being passed next week; but it'll have an even excellenter shot if you remind your pesky legislators how keen it would be if gay couples didn't have to make air-quotes whenever they say the word "marriage" anymore. Equality California makes it easy to give a gay-is-great shoutout to whomever represents you, so you've no excuse for not weighing in.

Possible benefits of gender-neutral weddings: "over $100 million in increased business revenues" for California, including $7 million for the state in sales tax, according to the not-at-all impartial Institute for Gay and Lesbian Strategic Studies. But just as Abraham Lincoln didn't say "think of the tax benefits!" when signing the Emancipation Proclamation, the fiscal windfall of AB 849 pales in comparison to the pride CA would take in being on the cutting edge of equality. So, yay for that. See you at the alter, homos.