Weekly Political Roundup

Lots of good news this week:

• The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which includes protections crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and sent it to the floor of the House.
• An Indiana high school teacher who risked her job supporting a student-newspaper editorial advocating tolerance for gay people has reached an agreement to continue teaching at another school, albeit not in a journalism position.
• The Iowa legislature approved a bill banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, public accommodations, housing, education and credit practices. The governor has said he will sign it.
• The New Hampshire Senate followed the House and approved a bill to create same-sex civil unions. Governor John Lynch has said he will sign it.
• New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has introduced a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in New York, even though he said it was not among his priorities for the current legislative session. While some worry that he may be merely checking off a box on his campaign-promise list, the move has also sparked a debate among three Assembly members over who will sponsor the bill.
• The Oregon Senate will vote soon on a domestic-partnership bill and is expected to pass it. Unlike the more limited domestic-partnership legislation in Washington, this bill would give domestic partners “any right, benefit, immunity or responsibility that state laws give to married couples.” Couples would have to file for a dissolution in the event of a breakup and abide by child-support rulings.
• Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire signed domestic-partner legislation that will allow same-sex couples to receive a variety of rights over inheritance, hospital visitation, and medical decisions.
• The city of Bellevue, Washington has decided to offer health and other benefits to same-sex domestic partners of its employees.

Around the world:

• Premier Steve Bracks of the Australian state of Victoria announced that his state will have a domestic partner registry by the end of 2007. It will provide certain health-care and estate rights for same-sex couples.
• The San Francisco Chronicle reports on the state of LGBT rights in Columbia, “the first Latin American country to establish same-sex benefits on a national level.”
• The European Parliament criticized Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski of Poland for his plan to fire teachers who promote “homosexual culture” in schools. Prime Minister Kaczynski said it was not in the interest of society to have more gay people, but asserted “Nobody is limiting gay rights in Poland.” (Thanks, April.) Polish MEP’s showed their support for the government by walking out of an EP debate on homophobia.
• The International Gay and Lesbian Association (ILGA) Europe is starting a campaign asking mayors of European cities to support the right to freedom of assembly and expression for LGBT people.
• A Nigerian woman who married four other women has gone into hiding. Being gay or lesbian is illegal in Nigeria. News coverage does not say what the other four women have done.