A slowish week for news: President Bush has threatened to veto a routine appropriations bill for the District of Columbia because of the city’s domestic partner registry. The White House claims “Under federal law, legal marriage is the union between a man and a woman. Federal tax dollars are not used to extend employment benefits […]
The California Supreme Court asked lawyers in the state same-sex marriage case whether the state’s domestic-partnership law “provides all the benefits of marriage, and whether the term ‘marriage’ has special legal significance.” (Well, yes, otherwise why would we want it?) The University of Kentucky has expanded its health insurance scheme to include all dependents residing
The big news of the week is the resounding victory for marriage equality in Massachusetts. Legislators voted 45 to 151 against sending a proposed amendment banning same-sex marriage to voters in November. This kills the matter until, at a very minimum, 2012; given Democratic Governor Deval Patrick’s support for LGBT rights and general sentiment in
LGBT-rights groups are opposing President Bush’s nomination of Dr. James Holsinger of Kentucky to the post of Surgeon General. Soulforce reports that the church Holsinger co-founded operates an “ex-gay” ministry. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force adds that he authored a 1991 paper titled “Pathophysiology of Male Homosexuality,” which equates homosexuality with disease. Legislation
Roundup is early this week to leave tomorrow clear for Blogging for LGBT Families Day. Gallup’s annual Values and Beliefs survey found public tolerance for gay rights is at the highest point in three decades. 59 percent of Americans believe “homosexual relations between consenting adults” should be legal, 57 percent that it should be considered
Inmates in California prisons will have equal access to conjugal visits from same-sex registered domestic partners, the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said. The American Civil Liberties Union had contacted the agency about changing the previous regulations. A gay couple from San Jose, California have settled their lawsuit against ParentProfiles.com, an Internet adoption service
Eureka Springs, Arkansas became the first town in the state to recognize same-sex couples. On June 13th, it will begin a domestic registry for both same- and opposite-sex unmarried couples. The registry has no legal standing, but is a sign of support for same-sex couples and other non-traditional families. Colorado is now the 10th state
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
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 (LLEHCPA), aka the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act. The Senate must now vote on the measure, although the White House has already threatened a veto. Pam’s House Blend has fuller coverage and a breakdown of the vote. The U.S.
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
