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发帖数: 4174 | 1 Posted on Advocate.com April 14, 2011
Delaware House to Vote on Civil Unions
The Delaware house is expected to vote Thursday afternoon on a civil unions
bill and advocates feel confident the measure will pass.
By Julie Bolcer
The Delaware house is expected to vote Thursday afternoon on a measure to
legalize civil unions for same-sex couples that passed the senate last week.
On Wednesday, the house administration committee voted 4 to 1 to advance to
the bill to the house floor. The bipartisan nod followed three hours of
testimony from supporters and opponents at the state capitol building in
Dover.
Advocates expressed confidence that the bill would receive the 21 votes
needed to pass in the Democratic-controlled chamber. Six last-minute
amendments, including one that would put the civil unions proposal to a
statewide referendum before it could be implemented, have been attached for
consideration.
“We’re feeling great,” said Lisa Goodman, president of Equality Delaware,
which launched last year. “There at least six possible amendments that
have been pre-filed. We’re confident that the legislators who support the
bill will strike those down.”
Known as S.B. 30, the bill will be presented in the house by Rep. Melanie
George. Sen. David Sokola sponsored the bill in the senate, where it passed
last week by a vote of 13 to 6. Gov. Jack Markell has pledged to sign the
bill into law.
Despite the momentum and polls showing that 62% of state voters support
civil unions, Goodman told The Advocate her group is taking nothing for
granted as the final vote nears. Opponents led by the Delaware Family Policy
Council have mounted a robocall campaign, and the legislative session in
neighboring Maryland ended this week without a marriage equality victory. In
that case, the bill passed the senate, predicted to be the more challenging
chamber, only to be pulled in the house last month when votes fell short
after a reenergized campaign from religious conservatives.
“I have had Maryland in the forefront of my mind since this happened,”
said Goodman. “We have been redoubling our efforts. We have essentially
been using ‘remember Maryland’ as our rallying cry.”
According to the Human Rights Campaign, five states currently have laws
providing an expansive form of state-level relationship recognition for gay
and lesbian couples without offering marriage. States offering such civil
unions and domestic partnerships include California, Nevada, New Jersey,
Oregon, and Washington. Earlier this year, Hawaii and Illinois adopted civil
union laws that will take effect in June for Illinois and in January 2012
for Hawaii. | D**S
发帖数: 24887 | 2 It is 7PM already. What is the outcome? |
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