Tag: equality

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Delaware: Civil Unions bill moves forward in state senate

A same-sex civil unions bill cleared a Delaware senate committee Wednesday and now heads to the senate floor for debate.

The bill — S.B. 30 — sponsored by Sen. David Sokola, D-Newark North, with more than two dozen co-sponsors, now goes to the Senate floor for debate.

Committee members heard impassioned testimony from opponents and supporters of the bill, one reading from the Bible, another reading a letter from his son, all saying the state would be significantly changed for the better or the worse. The balcony was packed and so was much of the floor of the Senate chamber.

Mike Bouchard, a New Castle County policeman who is active in his church, told the panel he says goodbye to his partner each morning and lays his life on the line each day for the community. He’s honored to do it, he said.

“I hold the highest regard for my position in law enforcement,” Bouchard said.

But he had one question for the panel: Why, if he is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for his community, is he not given the same rights as those whose partner is of the opposite sex?

After a two hour hearing, the bill passed out of the senate administrative services committee with the 4 Democrats voting for it and the Republicans taking no position.

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Washington State legislature votes to recognize out of state same-sex couples legal status

The Washington state senate passed it’s last hurdle in recognizing out-of-state same-sex marriages and domestic partnerships.

From the Seattle Times: The Washington Legislature has approved a measure that recognizes out-of-state domestic partnerships.

On a 28-19 vote, the Senate cleared the last hurdle for the bill. It now heads to Gov. Chris Gregoire’s desk. Under the measure, gay marriages performed elsewhere would be recognized as domestic partnerships here, as well as domestic partnerships performed in other states.

At this time, five states and the District of Columbia allow same-sex marriages. Washington is the fourth state to approve a bill recognizing same-sex couples from other states, following Rhode Island, New York and Maryland.

The measure enjoyed wide support among Democrats. It passed the House 58-39, mostly on party-line votes.

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US Citizenship and Immigration Services puts Bi-national Partner deportations on hold

Immigration Citizenship

Christopher Bentley, the spokesman for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, confirmed today that cases of foreign partners who are married to a same-sex partner and would otherwise be eligible for a green card are on hold in light of questions about the continued validity of the Defense of Marriage Act.

Bentley writes, “USCIS has issued guidance to the field asking that related cases be held in abeyance while awaiting final guidance related to distinct legal issues.”

The USCIS reached this decision in response to the administration’s Feb. 23 announcement that it no longer will defend Section 3 of DOMA in court. Were it not for Section 3 of DOMA, a U.S. citizen who is half of a same-sex bi-national married couple would be able to sponsor his or her non-citizen spouse for the purpose of obtaining a green card.

We’ll see where this goes. It’s clear the decision by the Obama Administration to not defend DOMA in court has had ripple effects since the announcement.

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ENDA bill to be introduced to Congress this week

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Rep. Barney Frank plans to introduce the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to Congress this Wednesday.

The bill, reported to be the same exact bill that was introduced in the 111th Congress, would prohibit most employers from discriminating in hiring and promotions on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Chances are extremely slim that it will move forward considering the Republican controlled House, but Rep. Barney Frank says he wants to use the opportunity to talk about the issue of LGBT discrimination in the work place with those who supported the bill in the past but couldn’t get past the transgender component of the bill.

Last year, according to Rep. Frank “We have work still to do and we have overwhelming — over 90 percent — support on the Democratic side for ENDA based on sexual orientation and we had, in the last Congress, about 30 Republicans that way. Unfortunately, there’s a drop-off from that number to transgender, and this is a chance to work hard to sway those who are committed to ENDA to support the full transgender inclusion as well.”

For more info, click here.

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Colorado: Civil Unions passes in state Senate

Today the Colorado State Senate passed the current Civil Unions bill that would give same-sex couples many of the rights of marriage on a vote of 23-12.

It now goes to the state House where it might find more resistance since Republicans hold a slight majority.

House Republican leadership has promised a fair hearing. There are reports there is GOP support for this legislation – IF it can make it out of committee where it may get waylaid.

Polling has shown that 72 percent of Coloradans and 61 percent of Republicans in the state support civil unions.

Thinking good thoughts…

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Colorado: Civil Unions bill moves forward in state Senate

The Colorado Civil Union Act cleared its first vote in the state Senate today.

The bill, sponsored by Denver Democrat Pat Steadman, and co-sponsored by every other Democratic member of the Senate, passed after a debate mostly focused on reciprocity, or how Colorado would recognize civil unions and same-sex marriages from other states like Iowa and Illinois.

If the legislation becomes law, it would establish a new form of relationship recognition for both same-sex couples and heterosexuals. Most of the protections and rights married Coloradan couples would also be made available to those couples in civil unions.

The bill will have one more vote tomorrow and is expected to be passed. It will then head to the Republican controlled House where Rep. Mark Ferrandino will sponsor it. A co-sponsor, and out lawmaker, Rep. Sue Schafer said the bill would probably be introduced in a week.

Brad Clark, executive director of One Colorado, a statewide GLBT advocacy organization, applauded the vote:

“Today is a tremendous victory for gay and lesbian couples across the state—and for all fair-minded Coloradans,” Clark said. “We look forward to working with House Republican leadership who have promised a fair hearing. Issues of significant importance with overwhelming public support like civil unions deserve a full and fair hearing with an up-or-down vote by the entire House.”

(from Out Front Colorado)

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Civil Unions pass committee vote in Colorado

Civil unions in Colorado moved forward on an early vote of 6-3 in the Colorado Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday.

According to a Feb. 2011 poll by Public Policy Polling, 72 percent of Colorado voters support legal recognition of gay and lesbian couples.

The bill is expected to pass easily in the state Senate where all of the Democratic members, who hold a majority, have signed on as co-sponsors. But the Republican-led state House could be problematic. Republicans hold a one-seat majority in that chamber.

Opposition in the House focuses on whether or not the bill contradicts the state’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Sen. Kevin Lundberg (R-Berthoud), who put that amendment on the ballot, opposed the bill, reports the Denver Post.

“It is as close to marriage as can be construed in Colorado law without using that word,” Lundberg said. “For that reason it is marriage and it changes the institution of marriage.”

There you go kids – even when you take the word “marriage” out of the equation, you can’t get past discrimination.

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Henry Rollins: “Same sex marriage is constitutional”

Henry Rollins writing for Vanity Fair: “When things threaten to become too constitutional, thankfully, there’s someone like John Boehner, owner of every third tear cried in America, to step in and attempt to push America back into the good old days of darkness. Rather than shoulder the awesome burden of creating some damned jobs in America, he goes for the easy cheap shot of going after gay Americans. Again.”

“Of course same sex marriage is constitutional! The right to be yourself, to pursue life, liberty, and property, is protected several ways over several amendments. John Boehner should know this.”

“Damn, congressman, we’re trying to get up the road here. Either lay out a plan for job creation for all of us to see or get out of the way. You are the Speaker of the House. Scratching around in the ancient dirt of repellent prejudice instead of tackling the real issues is amateur hour. You have a plan? Now’s the time.”

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Montana State committee approves anti-LGBT bill

HB 516 was passed out of committee by a vote of 13-7. This bill, now on it’s way to the state House legislature, will remove all local ordinances passed by cities and towns in Montana that would protect LGBT citizens. The city of Missoula had passed protections for LGBT community members and this seemed to rile the conservative members of state legislature. The Montana Human Rights Act does not cover LGBT citizens. That is exactly why the City of Missoula passed its Anti-Discrimination Ordinance in April of 2010. Missoula is the home of the University of Montana. The panel also voted to table HB 514, a bill that would have expanded the Montana Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression and sexual orientation.

From the Montana Human Rights Network: This will repeal not only the Missoula ordinance – but existing policies and resolutions that other cities have passed to protect their residents. People from across the state came to speak out in opposition (Helena, Cardwell, Butte, Billings, Great Falls, Bozeman, Missoula, Sidney and Opportunity, MT all came to the Capitol on Friday to stand in opposition to HB 516) – and their testimony was not only limited to ten minutes total, but cut off.

Sad day for equal rights in Montana.