Amazon is joining other local tech companies in backing a proposed state law to legalize same-sex marriages.

In a statement, Seattle-based Amazon said the “spirit of these bills is consistent with our long-standing employment practices.”

The statement, reported by The Seattle Times, comes a couple of weeks after Microsoft, RealNetworks and Concur said they were endorsing a move to legalize same-sex marriage in Washington.

The state Senate passed legislation Wednesday that would legalize gay marriage in the state.

The tech companies join other large employers, including Nike, Paul Allen’s Vulcan Inc. and Group Health Cooperative, that are supporting SB6239 and HB2516, two bills backed by Gov. Chris Gregoire.

Support in the tech world comes as no surprise. Many companies already extend benefits to employees’ domestic partners and consider marriage equity a fairness issue. Amazon's support comes at a time when tech rivals are vying for top tech talent as many companies are expanding their workforces.

In November, Microsoft and Google joined 70 other companies that have filed a friend-of-the-court brief opposing the federal Defense of Marriage Act, saying it is bad for business and forces the companies to discriminate against employees.