A source for the Washington Blade has said that hate crimes legislation will likely be attached to a tourism bill which will be voted on by the Senate later this week.

Lawmakers are expected to pass the measure by amending S. 1023, or the Travel Promotion Act, said the source. The bill is geared toward establishing a national travel promotion program to communicate U.S. travel policies and to promote travel to the United States.

“The idea is that that will be an amendment to the tourism bill that’s going to be on the floor this week in the Senate, and we’re thinking that the vote will happen probably [Tuesday] or Wednesday,” said the source.

A press conference is expected later today.

The Maine House of Representatives has voted to grant same-sex couples the right to marry by a vote of 89-58. Last week the Maine Senate voted 21-14 for same-sex marriage as well.

A recent poll shows Maine voters are evenly split on the issue. And, while it remains unclear if Governor Baldacci would sign the bill  should it reach his desk, he has suggested recently that he would favor the legislation.

Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal spoke eloquently today when he refused to co-sponsor legislation that would repeal Iowa’s newly decided marriage equality bill.

Minority leader Paul McKinley who offered the new legislation to ban gay marriage accused Gronstal of “pure obstruction,” while former state legislator Chuck Hurley, who is now president of the Iowa Family Policy Center had this to say:

“He is denying 2.1 million Iowans of voting age of the right to vote on an issue of great importance to 550,000 schoolchildren … Mike Gronstal needs to humble himself and listen to the people.”

Sorry, a little bit behind on the news today… A new job will do that to you.