Dexter McNamara, the chairman of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians in Michigan, will sign the tribe's same-sex marriage bill into law on March 15.

The tribal council voted 5-4 on a measure that defines marriage as a union between "two persons." At least one person must be a tribal member.

"I believe that Tribal Citizens who wish to choose same sex marriage should be treated and just as importantly as any other Tribal Citizen who are Man and Woman. This is about people being happy," McNamara said in an e-mail posted by Turtle Talk.

The tribe will become the third in the U.S. to recognize same-sex marriage.

Get the Story:
LTBB Chair Dexter McNamara Will Sign Same-Sex Marriage Ordinance on March 15, 2013 (Turtle Talk 3/8)
Harbor Springs Tribe Takes Step Toward Same-Sex Marriage (Interlochen Public Radio 3/6)

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Little Traverse Bay Bands close to recognizing same-sex unions (3/6)