OLYMPIA -- The Legislature has the second-largest gay caucus in the country after a new representative was appointed to the House this year.

Marko Liias, 26, a Democrat from Mukilteo, started the session this month, replacing former Rep. Brian Sullivan, who left for the Snohomish County Council. Liias' arrival gives Washington six openly gay lawmakers, ahead of California, Connecticut and Vermont, which have five each, but one shy of the seven gay lawmakers in New Hampshire.

That gives Washington the second-largest Capitol gay caucus, according to the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a Washington, D.C.-based political action committee. California and Washington state are tied for the biggest percentage, at about 4.1 percent.

Liias joins Reps. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, Jim Moeller, D-Vancouver, and Dave Upthegrove, D-Des Moines; and Sens. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, and Joe McDermott, D-Seattle.