Gov. Gregoire to sign gay marriage bill today

OLYMPIA — Gov. Chris Gregoire will sign a measure legalizing gay marriage in Washington state into law today. The House passed the bill on a 55-43 vote on Wednesday. The Senate approved the measure last week. Gregoire will sign the bill at 11:30 a.m. The law would take effect 90 days after the session ends next month, but opponents have promised to fight back with a ballot measure that would allow voters to overturn it. If opponents gather enough signatures to take their fight to the ballot, the law is put on hold pending the outcome of a November election. They must turn in more than 120,000 signatures by June 6 to challenge the proposed law. An anti-gay marriage initiative has also been filed. To qualify, 241,153 signatures must be submitted by July 6.