Gov. signs Colo. benefits bill

(Denver, Colorado) Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter has signed legislation providing health insurance and other benefits to the same-sex partners of Colorado state workers.

Ritter put his pen to the bill without fanfare. Even the bill’s chief sponsor, Rep. Mark Ferrandino (D) said he did not know the governor had signed it …

Obama won’t oppose ruling weakening ‘don’t ask’

The Obama administration, criticized by gay rights advocates for not following through on a campaign promise to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on military service, has taken a quiet step to allow a federal court in San Francisco to limit enforcement of the policy.

Without fanfare, the Justice Department told congressional leaders last month that it would not seek Supreme Court review of a May 2008 ruling by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The ruling cast doubt on the constitutionality of discharging gay and lesbian soldiers from the military for revealing their sexual orientation and required military officials to justify each dismissal.

See Obama won’t oppose ruling weakening ‘don’t ask’ San Francisco Chronicle

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