Just a month after Arizona voters passed a constitutional ban on gay marriage, the state’s largest city is poised to create a program that would grant hospital-visitation rights to unmarried gay or straight couples who live together.

The Phoenix City Council on Wednesday will consider making the city just the second in Arizona to offer its residents a domestic-partner registry.

Tucson launched a similar program in 2003.

 See Phoenix domestic-partner registry in the works
Arizona Republic, AZ

PHOENIX - Weeks after voters approved amending Arizona’s Constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman, gay-rights activists are looking toward 2010.

A man who champions equality for gays in the United Kingdom has traveled to Arizona to begin a drive for a ballot initiative that would establish civil partnerships, which since 2005 have allowed same-sex couples to legally register their relationships. “We’re not fighting for marriage; we’re fighting for equal rights,” said Gino Meriano, whose UK business, Pink Weddings, arranges commitment ceremonies and provides free legal advice for gay couples wishing to establish civil partnerships.

Steen Lawson, co-founder of Marriage Equality USA’s new Arizona chapter, said civil unions don’t go far enough. His group wants same-sex couples to have the same rights as heterosexual couples who wish to marry.

“Since government uses the word marriage, we must fight for marriage,” Lawson said.

Meriano, Lawson and others are looking for a next step in response to Proposition 102, which Arizona voters approved Nov. 4. Given that the initiative amended Arizona’s Constitution, making a legal challenge difficult, opponents of 102 say any next step likely would be a ballot proposition.

 

 See After Prop 102, advocates evaluate push for same-sex marriage …
Tucson Citizen - Tucson,AZ,USA