Weekly Political Roundup

• The Alabama House voted not to consider a bill that would add sexual orientation as a protected category to the state’s hate crimes law, despite urging from Patricia Todd, the state’s first out legislator. Opponents said existing legislation was sufficient. (Thanks to the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund Smartbrief.)
• The California Assembly passed legislation that would give all couples, regardless of gender, equal opportunity to change their family names when they marry or register as domestic partners. Just goes to show the loose threads that pop out when relationship rights are anything short of equal.
• The chairs of the Connecticut Senate Judiciary Committee, supporters of same-sex marriage, said they do not intend to push for a vote on the issue this session. They claim the bill does not have enough votes to win.
• Senior Justice William J. Sullivan, one of the Connecticut judges scheduled to hear arguments next week in Connecticut’s same-sex marriage lawsuit, has removed himself from the case. He did not state a reason. He had in fact been replacing Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers, who recused herself because her husband’s law firm had filed an amicus brief for Lambda Legal. Many felt Sullivan, a devout Catholic, would have voted against same-sex marriage.
• Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick denied he has offered jobs to anti-gay-marriage lawmakers in exchange for their votes against a proposed ban on same-sex marriage. He also warned that the state will face a “political circus” if the ban gets on the ballot. A joint session of the state House and Senate convened this week, but postponed a vote about the ballot until at least June 14.
• Michigan Senator and presidential candidate Sam Brownback said he would no longer hold up the nomination of Court of Appeals Judge Janet Neff to the federal bench, after Neff said she would not participate in a same-sex union or marriage in Michigan. Brownback had blocked her nomination after discovering she had attended a lesbian commitment ceremony for a family friend in 2002.
• The Minnesota Supreme Court granted visitation rights to a Minneapolis woman who had adopted two children from China while with her now-former partner. That is, her partner legally adopted them, but she couldn’t, because the Chinese government forbids same-sex couples from adopting. (Thanks, PageOneQ.)
• New Hampshire dropped its appeal of a court decision that said the state can’t legally deny benefits to the families of employees with same-sex partners. The decision stemmed from the recent passage in the Legislature of a civil-union bill for same-sex couples.
• The New Jersey Division of Civil Rights is filing a case against the Jackson Township school district, saying it did not do enough to stop the bullying of a bisexual student.
• New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said he expects the same-sex marriage bill introduced by Governor Eliot Spitzer may come to a vote this year. Some speculate this means Silver is changing his position and supporting it.
• As expected, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed a domestic-partnership bill into effect, giving same-sex couples the same state rights and responsibilities as those of married ones, except in name. At the same time, he signed a bill banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. (A good step, but what about gender identity?)
• The Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee heard arguments from 30 witnesses for and against same-sex marriage. The House Judiciary Committee will do the same next week. Marriage Equality Rhode Island has more details on their blog. One to watch, given the number of people who commute, travel, and move between Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Will neighbor follow neighbor?
• The Virginia Supreme Court confirmed a lower-court decision that Virginia must respect a ruling from Vermont that Janet Jenkins, a non-bio lesbian mom, is a parent to the daughter she had with her now ex-partner, Lisa Miller.

Around the world:

• In an intriguing case of international law, the Indian government has refused a Canadian request to recognize the same-sex marriages of two Canadian diplomats stationed in India. The Canadian government has requested that its diplomats be exempt from India’s law against homosexuality.
• Opponents of a bill in Italy that would give legal rights to same-and opposite-sex unmarried couples are planning a big rally in Rome this Saturday.
• With Prime Minister Tony Blair scheduled to step down in June, politicians and pundits in the U.K. are speculating on the LGBT-friendliness of his likely successor, Chancellor Gordon Brown and his possible cabinet members.