Oct 23, 2009  |  By: Lou Chibbaro Jr.  | COMMENTS     

Same-sex marriage will be the subject of two separate public hearings Monday in the District, with dozens of witnesses expected to testify.

The D.C. Board of Elections & Ethics is scheduled to hold a 10 a.m. hearing at 441 4th St., N.W., on a voter initiative aimed at banning same-sex marriage.

Bishop Harry Jackson, a Maryland minister who is leading efforts to oppose same-sex marriage in the District, proposed the initiative. An election board spokesperson said those interested in testifying at Monday’s hearing should call 202-727-2194 to sign up.

At 3:30 p.m. the same day, D.C. City Council member Phil Mendelson is scheduled to hold a separate hearing on legislation introduced by gay Council member David Catania to legalize same-sex marriage in D.C. The hearing, sponsored by the Council’s Committee on Public Safety & Judiciary, is to be held in the City Council chambers on the fifth floor of the John Wilson City Hall Building at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

A spokesperson for Mendelson said more than 125 people, including opponents and supporters, were signed up to testify as of Oct. 20. The hearing is expected to continue for two days. Anyone interesting in testifying can contact Mendelson’s office at 202-724-8064.

These additional developments related to same-sex marriage are expected to occur next week:

• Opponents of same-sex marriage, led by Jackson and other local ministers, are expected to hold a rally in opposition to Catania’s bill on Sunday, Oct. 25. The two-hour rally is slated to begin at 3 p.m. at Freedom Plaza.

• D.C. Clergy United for Marriage Equality, a local group that supports Catania’s bill, is scheduled to host an event entitled Soulful Voices for Marriage Equality on Thursday, starting at 7 p.m. The two-hour event will be held at Asbury United Methodist Church in Washington.