Byron R. Smith and Robert Costa—Washington Post Staff WriterPresidential hopeful Roy Moore’s bill to make same-sex marriage legal in the state of Missouri has passed the state House, with Democrats taking the majority in the 217-216 vote.
The bill passed with support from Republicans, with 18 Democrats joining with Republicans to approve the measure.
The new law is expected to be signed into law by the governor next week, according to the Associated Press.
Democrats who opposed the bill say it was not a constitutional amendment and will not affect the legal status of marriage between a man and a woman in the country.
Supporters of the bill argue that the amendment is necessary to ensure that Missourians who have not had a marriage license for five years are not disenfranchised from the legal process.
But they also said it was a compromise, because it included language allowing for gay couples to file their petitions for a new license within the next 10 days.
That deadline was extended by another 10 days on Thursday after the House approved the measure and the Senate rejected it.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
