Hatch, R-Utah, defended the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages, and hopes the court will allow each state to handle this controversial issue on its own.No, fool. That's not how you solve the problem. You solve it my granting equality.
"I’ll say this, I do believe this could be solved greatly by a civil-union law that would give gay people the same rights as married people," said Hatch, who mentioned hospital visitations and tax benefits. "I think we can solve this problem without undermining the very basis of marital law in our country."
The first vote came late Wednesday afternoon — and it came as no surprise to anyone — when the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 3-to-2 on party lines to send Senate Bill 11 on to the Senate Appropriations Committee.More to come on this story
Bringing down the gavel on the vote was Sen. Jessie Ulibarri, D-Adams County, elected in November, who had sat on the other side of the room the past two years and testified twice about how the bill’s legal protections would help support his partner and their son.
“It’s a very different year, a very exciting year,” Ulibarri told FOX31 Denver prior to the hearing. “We have folks here who are willing to stand up for committed couples and there will be a very different result this year.”
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| Lakeesha Harris and Jeanean Watkins are the first to get their license |
The 26-15 vote by the state House of Representatives was heralded by gay rights groups. The state Senate passed the bill last week on a 13-6 vote.source
"Parties who enter into a lawful civil union in Delaware, or whose legal union is recognized as a civil union under Delaware law, will have all of the same rights, benefits, protections and responsibilities as married persons under Delaware law," the measure says.
"Today, we celebrate a victory for all Delaware families who will have the tools to protect themselves in good times and in bad," said Joe Solomonese, Human Rights Campaign president, in a statement.
Delaware Gov. Jack Markell has said he will sign the bill, according to the Delaware News Journal.
"The fact that the Delaware General Assembly passed civil union legislation on the first attempt is a great testament to how far public opinion has come on equality issues," said Lisa Goodman, president of Equality Delaware.
The bill does not allow same-sex couples to obtain marriage licenses, and religious institutions retain the right to refuse to solemnize such unions. After it is signed, the bill will take effect January 1.
The House Judiciary Committee voted to stop the forward progress of SB-172, the Colorado Civil Union Act, a bill that would have provided committed gay and lesbian couples with critical legal protections, such as the ability to inherit property, to take family leave to care for a partner, to visit a partner in the hospital, and to make medical and end-of-life decisions for a partner.This is hopefully, a small set back at this time. With most of the people in support of the act, how can they deny this right?
“Today’s vote was out of touch with everyday Colorado voters. With 72% of Coloradans in support of civil unions, House Republicans are out of the mainstream,” said Brad Clark, Executive Director of One Colorado, a statewide LGBT advocacy organization. “Once again, they have turned their backs on Colorado families and kids.”
According to polls, support for civil unions is high. A February 2011 poll by Public Policy Polling found that 72% of Colorado voters support legal recognition of gay and lesbian couples.
Additionally, a Greenberg Quinlan Rosner poll conducted in 2010 found support for civil unions across political parties and religious affiliations, including 61% of Republicans, 84% of independents, 70% of Catholics, 67% of Protestants, and 55% of “born again Christians.”
“In the past two months, there have been more than 18,000 emails, calls, and postcards to legislators in support of this measure. A coalition of nearly one million Coloradans support this measure. And poll after poll reinforces that Colorado voters support this measure by a wide margin – Democrats and Republicans alike. Today, Republicans were out-of-touch with Colorado voters,” Clark continued.
The Senate Local Government Committee passed House Bill 516 last week. But the bill was returned to the committee Tuesday and chairman Sen. Jon Sonju says it is doubtful the measure will go to the Senate floor.
Sonju says he moved the measure back to committee because it doesn't have the support of Senate leaders.
The proposal, carried by Republican Rep. Kristin Hansen, drew lengthy testimony during its hearings in the House and Senate.
Supporters said the bill would overturn an unconstitutional ordinance that infringes on the state's authority.
Opponents said the measure is targeted against the gay community and interferes with local governments' ability to govern.
Three Republicans joined all Democrats in supporting the measure Thursday following a second round of emotional debate.
More Republicans went to the podium to speak about the bill than they did Wednesday when only one party member voiced opposition. They emphasized their concerns that civil unions would undermine marriage and go against the wishes of voters. Voters rejected a domestic partnership referendum in 2006 and also banned gay marriage the same year.
Senate Bill 172 would grant same-sex couples several rights similar to married couples, including the ability to be involved in their partner's medical decisions and it would enhance inheritance rights.
The bill now heads to the House.
Senate Bill 232 was approved by a 18-5 vote.
It now goes to Gov. Neil Abercrombie, who supports civil unions and has promised to sign the bill into law.
"I have always believed that civil unions respect our diversity, protect people's privacy, and reinforce our core values of equality and aloha," Abercrombie said in a statement after the vote.
"I appreciate all the time and effort invested by those who shared their thoughts and concerns regarding civil unions in Hawaii. This has been an emotional process for everyone involved, but that process is now ended. Everyone has been heard; all points of view respected.
"For me, this bill represents equal rights for all the people of Hawaii," Abercrombie said.Hawaii becomes the seventh state to grant civil unions to same-sex couples without authorizing marriage itself. Five states and Washington, D.C., permit same-sex marriage.
A vote in the Indiana House on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage has been delayed for at least a day.
Resolution sponsor Rep. Eric Turner of Marion said he wouldn't call it for a vote on Monday because some House members who want to support it were absent for the day. He didn't specify when he expected a vote.
Political analysts expect that the ban is almost certain to pass, with Republicans in control of the Legislature. The amendment states that only marriage between one man and one woman is valid inIndiana , and prohibits civil unions by stating that a legal status "substantially similar" to marriage for unmarried people is not valid.
Opponents have argued that the amendment isn't needed because Indiana law already bans gaymarriage , but supporters said they are concerned that the courts could overturn that law.Supporters also contend that traditional heterosexual marriage is best for raising children. Opponents said the amendment seeks to write discrimination into the state's constitution.
Attorneys for the state will ask a federal appeals court today to let Arizona stop providing insurance benefits for the partners of gay workers.Trying to keep y'all informed.
Assistant Attorney General Charles Grube contends U.S. District Judge John Sedwick was wrong to issue an injunction last year barring the state from altering its benefits package.
That ruling requires Arizona to keep funding the coverage until there is a final ruling, which could take years.
State lawmakers voted to end the benefits to save money.
Grube said that before issuing an injunction, Sedwick was required to consider not only the claims of harm to the people losing benefits, but the harm to the state by being required to maintain them. But Grube said Sedwick was "explicitly dismissive" of evidence presented by the state about the cost burden on taxpayers of continuing to provide coverage.
Conversely, Grube said Sedwick gave too much credibility to what he said are little more than unproven allegations by those challenging the law.
Arizona provides benefits to the dependents of its state and university employees. But before 2008, that didn't include domestic partners of unmarried workers.
A constitutional court in Costa Rica on Tuesday derailed a Catholic Church-supported national referendum on whether the country should grant same-sex couples the right to civil unions. The vote was scheduled for December 5 and in this highly Catholic country was expected to reject the possibility of granting same-sex couples the same rights as their married counterparts. But the Supreme Court ruled that the rights of minorities could not be determined by a popular vote and that the issue should be decided by the country's lawmakers.
"Minority rights that are derived from claims against the majority cannot be subject to a referendum process where majorities are needed," the court said in a statement.
The vote sought to ask Costa Ricans whether the Central American nation should grant same-sex couples some of the rights of married couples, such as in inheritance, health insurance benefits and the right to family visits in case of hospitalization.
We will see what Miss Girl will do.Her options are to sign it, veto, or allow it to become law without her signature.
"I really thought about this more than I thought about any other piece of legislation and any other issue that's faced society,” said Gov. Lingle. “I don't know the exact number but I think it's running 60-40 against but as I'm going to talk about tomorrow -- that isn't what helped me to make a decision on this it was really the depth of feeling on both sides -- so I look forward to sharing that with everybody tomorrow."
The civil unions bill gives same-sex couples the same rights and responsibilities of marriage.
A bill approving same-sex civil unions is headed to Hawaii's governor after the state House of Representatives gave it final legislative approval Thursday.The House voted 31-20 in favor of the measure, which passed the Senate in January.
Republican Gov. Linda Lingle has not said whether she will make civil unions law or veto the bill.
The measure grants gay and lesbian couples the same rights and benefits that the state provides to married couples.
If it becomes law, Hawaii will join California, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington in granting essentially all the rights of marriage to same-sex couples without authorizing marriage itself. Five other states permit same-sex marriage: Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut.
The issue was revived on the last day of this year's legislative session when House Majority Leader Blake Oshiro made a motion to reconsider it.
Good luck, Hawaii!!!
