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It's a baby step toward same-sex marriage, opponents charge.

It's a clear case for local control, counter two local lawmakers.

"By god, it's time we step up to the plate," said Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, of Republicans defending local control.

"Nobody has a giant conspiracy toward same-sex marriage," said Rep. Ken Tschumper, DFL-La Crescent, said of the legislation.

But Minnesota Citizens in Defense of Marriage (MCDM) views legislation that would allow local government to define employee dependents as an incremental steps toward an ultimate goal of legalizing same-sex marriage.

"They're showing their hand," said Jeff Davis, president of MCDM. "I don't see it that way at all," said he of the legislation centering on local control.