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Two weeks after Gov. Chris Gregoire announced her support for gay marriage legislation - and potentially putting the state on track to become the nation's seventh to fully recognize same-sex unions - State Sen. Jim Kastama announced today he will support gay-marriage legislation. Read the AP report here.

Kastama was one of six undecided senators on marriage equality - and a current candidate for Secretary of State.

The Puyallup Democrat is the 24th announced supporter of same-sex marriage in a Senate where 25 votes make a majority. Although Democrats hold majorities in both our state' chambers, a bill is not certain to pass, as some conservative Democrats have sided with Republicans on the issue.

In the last session, 43 representatives co-sponsored a gay-marriage bill in the House, which never made it out of committee.

Gregoire wants individual religious faiths to make their own decisions about whether or not to perform gay marriages, thus allowing freedom of religion and non-discrimination against marrying homosexual couples to co-exist.

Six U.S. states currently allow same-sex marriage: New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and Iowa. Gay marriage is also legal in the District of Columbia.