Deleware Gay rights bill heads to full state Senate
The state Senate next week will debate a bill adding sexual orientation to Delaware’s anti-discrimination laws.
Newark-area Democrat David Sokola says he’s grateful Senate leaders let him offer his own version of the bill.
Audio Here
During the past 10 years, similar bills have reached the Senate only to die in committee or as the result of a so-called “desk-drawer veto”, but Senate Insurance Committee members Wednesday voted 5-0 to send Sokola’s measure, which has the support of Governor Markell and key House leaders, to the full Senate.
Sokola says he expects spirited opposition from the bill’s opponents, but is confident the measure will pass. See Gay rights bill heads to full state Senate
* Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/06/deleware-gay-…
Vermont begins same-sex marriage hearings
(Montpellier, Vermont) — Vermont lawmakers are starting a week of hearings on a bill to legalize same-sex marriage.
In 2000, Vermont became the first state in the U.S. to adopt civil unions. House and Senate leaders want to pass the gay marriage bill this legislative session, which ends in May.
Supporters say …
Tags: Civil Unions, gay marriage, Lawmakers, Legislative Session, marriage, Marriage Bill, Montpellier, same sex marriage, Senate Leaders, Vermont Marriage, Vermont VermontHawaii Senators Hesitate On Rescue Of Gay Civil Unions
Hawaii senators who had vowed to rescue a stranded gay civil unions bill from a deadlocked committee and pass it this legislative session have begun to backpeddle.
House Bill 444, which would grant gay and lesbian couples all the rights of marriage, was marooned on February 25 when it deadlocked on a 3-3 vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The final tally came after a grueling 18 hour marathon hearing session that ended at 3AM.
Even before the votes were in Senate leaders had begun discussing the possibility of rescuing the bill out of committee for a full vote on the Senate floor. The bill sailed through the House on a 33 to 17 vote. See Hawaii Senators Hesitate On Rescue Of Gay Civil Unions
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/03/hawaii-senato…
Report: Support wavering for vote on civil unions in Hawaii
(Honolulu, Hawaii) The drive to make Hawaii the fifth state in the country to allow same-sex civil unions is on the verge of failing, despite support from most state lawmakers.
Senate leaders had planned a vote before the full Senate as early as Tuesday, but deep divisions have emerged over whether …
Tags: Civil Unions, Deep Divisions, Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii State, Honolulu Hawaii, Same Sex, Senate Leaders, State Lawmakers, Verge, VoteHawaii lawmakers cautious on future of civil union bill
(Honolulu, Hawaii) A bill that would allow civil unions for same-sex couples remains stalled in committee with Senate leaders uncertain how to move forward.
Last month, after 15 hours of hearings, the Senate Judiciary and Government Operations Committee tied 3-3 on whether to advance the bill to the full Senate.
Senate leaders …
Tags: Civil Union Bill, Civil Unions, Government Operations Committee, Hawaii Lawmakers, Honolulu Hawaii, Same Sex Couples, Senate Judiciary, Senate LeadersSupport for Hawaii civil union vote wavering - as usual (why do we keep traveling there?)
The drive to make Hawaii the fifth state in the country to allow same-sex civil unions is on the verge of failing, despite support from most state lawmakers.
Senate leaders had planned a vote before the full Senate as early as Tuesday, but deep divisions have emerged over whether Democrats should take an extraordinary legislative step to revive the measure after a tie committee vote.
A tie vote in committee usually is enough to kill a measure, but the bill could advance under a rarely used provision of the Hawaii Constitution if more than one-third of senators approve.
The Democratic leadership wants more than half the Senate to agree to put the bill before the full Senate. Some rank-and-file senators who support the bill, however, are unwilling to circumvent the normal legislative process.
The measure already has passed the Hawaii House.
Lawmakers’ hesitation comes after more than 6,000 opponents, most of them from religious groups, rallied against the legislation Feb. 22 at the state Capitol. Civil union supporters planned their own event at the Capitol on Saturday.
See Support for Hawaii civil union vote wavering
The Associated Press -
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/03/support-for-h…
Buttars broke vow of silence, senator claims
Controversial Sen. Chris Buttars was stripped of his Senate committee posts not because he went on an anti-gay tirade in an interview with a documentary filmmaker but because the West Jordan Republican broke a deal with Senate leaders not to talk about gay issues.
That’s what a Senate colleague revealed on a conservative radio program Saturday.
“I have to tell you publicly that most of what Sen. Buttars said — I agree with,” Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, said on the weekly radio program “Inside Utah Politics” on KTKK-AM. “However, my concern is that we, as a Senate caucus, had an agreement that because Senator Buttars has become such a lightning rod on this issue, that he would not be the spokesperson on the issue.”
Buttars violated that agreement, Stephenson said, adding that the comments undermined “everything we’ve done” in the last three weeks of the legislative session. MORE
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/03/buttars-broke…
Hawaii committee deadlocked on civil union bill
(Honolulu, Hawaii) A Senate committee Wednesday was deadlocked on legislation to give same-sex couples in Hawaii all of the rights of marriage, but without the name.
After 15 hours of often emotional testimony on Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary and Government Operations Committee met early Wednesday, voting 3-3.
Senate leaders are now faced …
Tags: Civil Union Bill, Emotional Testimony, Government Operations Committee, Honolulu Hawaii, Legislation, marriage, Met, Same Sex Couples, Senate Committee, Senate Judiciary, Senate Leaders
