This week, we’re reminded that same-sex marriage bans are also emboldening those who would ban any legal recognition of a same-sex relationship, including domestic partnerships, civil unions, and medical coverage.
- The California Supreme Court refused for the second time to hear an appeal challenging the state’s domestic partner law. Opponents of the law said it violated the state’s ban on gay marriage.
- In Denver, CO, Rep. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, and Will Perkins, the former head of Colorado for Family Values, filed paperwork seeking a a ballot initiative for a constitutional amendment banning civil unions and domestic partnerships.
- Kentucky’s Governor Ernie Fletcher declared Tuesday “Diversity Day” in the state, and on the same day eliminated discrimination protection for gay public employees. His office claims he does not intend to discriminate, but rather rewrote the policy to keep with federal standards, which don’t recognize gay people as a protected class. Others disagree.
- Both supporters and opponents of same-sex marriage spoke before the Massachusetts joint Judiciary Committee about a proposed ballot amendment to overturn the state Supreme Judicial Court ruling that legalized it in 2003.
- A study by New York’s Empire Pride Agenda found a growth in support for same-sex marriage rights in New York. According to the report, 53% of New Yorkers support same-sex marriage while 38% do not. This is consistent with a recent nationwide poll by the Pew Research Center and independent polls in California and New Jersey.
- A bill to put a constitutional same-sex marriage ban on November’s state ballot will take force without the signature of Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine. Kaine believes marriage should consist of one man and one woman, but opposes a provision of the bill barring same-sex couples from signing contracts that “simulate the rights of marriage.” He believes this would weaken “the discretion of employers to extend certain benefits, such as health care coverage, to unmarried couples.” He said he will vote against the gay-marriage amendment this fall. (Virginia governors have no official authority over proposed constitutional amendments, though.)