Connecticut Signs Civil Unions into Law

[Token Yankee Guy]

This is a historic day for the state of Connecticut.

The House and State passed the civil union bill giving the same legal rights as a married heterosexual couple but without a marriage license. And the govenor signed the bill into law. So Connecticut is the second state to have civil unions and the first state to enact it without legal pressure.

 

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-ap-civil-unions-0420,0,2408834.story?coll=hc-big-headlines-breaking

 

Connecticut on Wednesday became the second state to recognize same-sex civil unions, and the first to do so without court pressure.

 

About an hour after the state Senate sent the legislation to her desk, Gov. M. Jodi Rell signed a bill that will allow thousands of gay and lesbian couples in Connecticut to be given the same rights and obligations as heterosexual couples, but not an actual marriage license.

 

"The vote we cast today will reverberate around the country and it will send a wave of hope to many people, to thousands of people across the country," said Sen. Andrew McDonald, co-chairman of the legislature's Judiciary Committee, and one of a few openly gay state lawmakers.

 

Last week, the House of Representatives amended the bill at the governor's urging to define marriage under Connecticut law as existing between one man and one woman.

 

The Senate gave final legislative approval to the amended bill Wednesday afternoon on a 26-8 vote.

 

"I have said all along that I believe in no discrimination of any kind and I think that this bill accomplishes that, while at the same time preserving the traditional language that a marriage is between a man and a woman," Rell said after signing the bill into law.

 

Opponents of civil unions had hoped to persuade Rell, a Republican, to veto the legislation. They believe civil unions are essentially gay marriage, with a different name.

 

The Family Institute of Connecticut planned a rally for Sunday in opposition to the bill. Brian Brown, the group's executive director, said they will still gather, but with a new focus.

 

"From now until 2006, our mission will be to let every person know in the state of Connecticut which lawmakers voted to redefine marriage, and which lawmakers voted to protect marriage," he said.

 

Love Makes a Family, a gay rights organization that wanted legislators pass a gay marriage bill, called civil unions an important step toward protecting the rights of same-sex couples. But Anne Stanback, the group's executive director, said the fight is not over.

 

"As important as the rights are, this is not yet equality," she said.

 

Stanback said Love Makes a Family would likely regroup and begin to talk to lawmakers about gay marriage, something she acknowledged will not likely be taken up next session.

 

The Senate which spent four hours debating an earlier version of the bill earlier this month, spent just an hour discussing the amended legislation.

 

Some said they were disappointed the House had changed the legislation to define marriage as being between one man and one woman.

 

"I feel that amendment belittles friends that I hold dear, who are of the same sex, who want to spend their lives together," said Sen. Edith Prague, D-Columbia. "I feel it is belittling to them and I'm sorry that amendment was placed in the House."

 

But Sen. David Cappiello, D-Danbury, who voted for civil unions earlier this month, said he felt even more comfortable voting for the bill because of the amendment. He said defining marriage highlights the religious and social significance of a marriage between a man and a woman.

 

In the end, none of the senators changed their votes. Sen. John Kissel, R-Enfield, said the majority of his constituents oppose civil unions and gay marriage. He said some have also questioned why heterosexual couples cannot get a civil union.

 

"I think that the public is a little bit confused," he said.

 

Vermont has approved civil unions and neighboring Massachusetts has gay marriage, but those changes came about only after same-sex couples won court battles.

 

Last summer, seven same-sex filed a lawsuit in Connecticut after being denied marriage licenses. That case has not been resolved, but Connecticut legislators who back the civil unions bill claim they haven't been influenced by it. They said they acted to extend more rights to same-sex couples and their families.

 

As in past debates on civil unions, the Senate gallery was filled with opponents and proponents of the legislation Wednesday. It was Catholic Concerns Day and many visited the state Capitol wearing buttons that read "Catholics Care" and "Protect Marriage."

 

Mary Bowler and Diane Shepard of Westbrook watched the vote. The same-sex couple has been together 12 years and watched friends hold commitment ceremonies. But they held off.

 

"We wanted to wait for the real thing," Bowler said.

 

When the Senate vote was announced, Shepard excitedly gripped her partner's hand. The two later waited outside the Senate to personally thank McDonald for supporting the bill.

 

"I have a friend who is a lawyer, and she has said, everyone wants special rights," Bowler said. "I told her, I just want the same ones you have."

[Movieguy]

Well, with all the hooplah over gay marriage, there still seem to be politicians who support civil unions as opposed to marriage, and that's about as tolerant as most americans are going to be of this thing for now, so if I were gay, I'd just be greatful that American tolerance seems to have been increased to the level of Civil unions at least.

 

Of course, even civil unions would NEVER be accepted in the red states, but that's just fine with the rest of the country. Remember the concept of states rights?

 

It's funny how these Conservatives say they are all about states rights and such, but when it comes to stuff like Massachsusetts allowing gay marriage, they have no problem with the federal government intervening. Oh yeah, they'll get the government off your back, but they're still gonna have the government tell you what you can do behind closed doors.

[BiCoastal Kid]

I could care less about the liscense, giving rights is all I'm really conscerned with. They could call it whatever they want.