Judge Declines to Stay Law on Gay Marriage
A Superior Court judge decided yesterday not to delay enactment of a law stipulating that the D.C. government will recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions.
Judge Judith E. Retchin ruled that she would not a grant a stay preventing the law from taking effect Monday, as requested by opponents. However, the effective date is likely to be delayed by the need for congressional approval. Attorneys for the group said they needed more time to research and argue their position before the law takes effect.
Opponents, led by Bishop Harry Jackson of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, and seven other D.C. voters want a referendum on the issue, but the D.C. elections board said that would be illegal under the District’s Human Rights Act.
Although Retchin decided against delaying the law’s enactment, she said opponents could seek to amend the law after the marriage provision takes effect.
See Judge Declines to Stay Law on Gay Marriage
Washington Post
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DC Panel Hears Arguments On Gay Marriage Referendum Washington Post -
The battle over same-sex marriage in the District moved to the city election board yesterday as supporters and opponents packed into a hearing room to debate whether the city should put the issue on the ballot.
The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics, which currently has two members and one vacancy, will determine whether voters should have a chance in a referendum to block a bill legalizing same-sex marriages performed elsewhere.
The board heard four hours of testimony yesterday and is expected to make a decision Friday or early next week.
Both sides presented legal and political arguments about whether the same-sex marriage issue should be in the hands of voters or the politicians who represent them.
“All we are asking for is a public debate,” said the Rev. Dale Wafer, a supporter of the referendum and a minister with the Harvest, a religious community in Northeast Washington. “We are not afraid of a debate. All we want is a public debate.”
Philip E. Pannell, a longtime gay rights advocate and Democratic Party activist, accused referendum supporters of “advocating for a popular vote that will give vent to public homophobia.”
See DC Panel Hears Arguments On Gay Marriage Referendum Washington Post -
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Bush v. Gore Lawyers Joining Forces To Fight Proposition 8
A coalition of gay rights groups said Wednesday that a federal same-sex marriage lawsuit brought by two high-profile lawyers is premature and they’d rather work through state legislatures and voters to win wedding rights.
A day after the California Supreme Court upheld a voter-approved ban on gay marriage, the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal and other national organizations issued a statement saying they think the U.S. Supreme Court is not ready to rule in their favor on the issue. See Bush v. Gore Lawyers Joining Forces To Fight Proposition 8 * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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Conn. gov. signs bill updating marriage laws
(Hartford, Conn.) A decade-long battle for same-sex marriage in Connecticut has ended with the governor’s signature on a bill updating the state’s laws.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell signed the legislation Thursday, one day after the state House and Senate both approved it.
The bill removes gender references from state marriage laws. It …
Vote caps decade-long gay marriage fight in Conn.
(Hartford, Conn.) A decade-long battle for marriage equality in Connecticut ended late Wednesday when the General Assembly voted to update the state’s marriage laws to conform with a landmark court ruling allowing gay and lesbian couples to tie the knot.
“It feels so good. It really does feel like the book …
Proposal to strike ‘marriage’ from Calif. law
(Sacramento, California) California’s top election official says supporters can start collecting signatures for a proposed ballot measure to strike the word “marriage” from all state laws.
Supporters of this ballot measure want to replace it with the term “domestic partnership,” while keeping all the rights of marriage in place.
The proposal is …
Six States To Consider Same-Sex Marriage This Year S
Bills to legalize same-sex marriage are expected to see action this year in Maine, New Jersey, New York and Vermont. In addition, the Iowa Supreme Court will decide a case that could legalize same-sex marriage there.
In California, the state Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling in June on whether Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.
Same-sex marriage currently is legal in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Internationally, it is legal in Belgium, Canada, Nepal, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa and Spain.
Three other U.S. states — Hawaii, New Mexico and Washington — are expected to consider passing civil-union laws this year that extend all or nearly all of the rights and obligations of marriage.e.
Such laws already are in place in California, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Oregon and Vermont.
The District of Columbia, Maine, Hawaii and Washington presently have laws that extend limited spousal rights to same-sex couples.
See Six States To Consider Same-Sex Marriage This Year San Francisco Bay Times
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NH lawmakers debate same-sex marriage laws
The debate over same sex marriage is heating up in New Hampshire. The legislature is poised to take up three separate bills on the issue.
More than a year after civil unions became legal in New Hampshire, 621 couples have entered into that legal bond — 26 of them have since dissolved their union.
Two bills introduced Thursday seek to reserve the union of marriage for heterosexual couples:
A third would do just the opposite, and expand civil unions to gay marriage
Only a few of the scores who turned out to testify want to limit marriage as a way to preserve the traditional family: ”Society benefits from the stability of this relationship. When only one gender parents, society may become unstable.”
“Children are best reared within the confines of a healthy marriage with a mom and a dad. We think that’s why we’re seeing healthy marriage initiatives from the federal level, we’re seeing fatherhood initiatives from President Obama.”
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Rallies nationwide support same-sex marriage
(New York City) Same-sex couples and their supporters held demonstrations across the country over the weekend calling for the repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, similar laws in several dozen states, and the legalization of gay marriage.
The rallies were organized by the group Join the Impact.
In …
