OLYMPIA, Wash. A bill legalizing same-sex marriage in Washington cleared its biggest legislative hurdle late Wednesday in a historic vote by the state Senate.

After about 90 minutes of debate, lawmakers approved the legislation 28-21.

Loud applause erupted from the galleries packed by gay-marriage supporters in the normally staid Senate, and lawmakers backing the measure hugged each other in the aisles.

The measure now heads for the House, where its expected to pass easily as early as next week. The governor strongly supports the bill as well.

Washington would become the seventh state to legalize gay marriage.

The outcome, while expected, culminates more than a decade of work by Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, the prime sponsor of the bill, and the gay and lesbian community.

"A lot of people are just stunned, particularly people my age and older, to think this day would actually come in our lifetime," Murray said shortly before the vote.

In addition to the 26 lawmakers who previously had announced their support, two more Republicans, Sens. Andy Hill of Redmond and Joe Fain of Auburn, voted for it as well. Overall, 24 Democrats and four Republicans voted for the measure.

Even so, there was plenty of debate in the Senate with supporters arguing same-sex marriage was a matter of equal rights, and opponents countering that the law would impinge on religious freedom.

"We ask for your support tonight not simply because marriage is a series of legal protections," Murray said on the floor. "We ask for your support tonight because marriage is how society says you are a family. Marriage is the way a community knows that a couple loves each other."

Sen. Dan Swecker, R-Rochester, a longtime opponent of gay-marriage legislation, said hes worried about the impact the law could have on people who oppose same-sex marriage because of their religious beliefs.

"Im extremely concerned that without additional protections this legislation will create a hostile environment for those of us who believe in traditional marriage," he said.

The bill approved by the Senate contains a provision that says churches do not have to marry gay couples unless they want to. Swecker has argued that anyone with religious objections to same-sex marriage such as photographers, wedding planners, florists should have the right to decline services to gay couples without facing a discrimination complaint.

Supporters of the bill also had to fend off a push to let the voters decide. An amendment to put the measure on the November ballot, sponsored by Sen. Brian Hatfield, D-Raymond, was defeated by a 26-23 vote.

Hatfield, who ended up voting for the bill anyway, said a decision this big should be decided by voters.

"Whats the problem? Lets trust the people of this state ... and let the voters have their say," he said.