This Week in Gay News Roundup: 5/17 - 5/23
This has been a week of new rights, attempts to win new rights, and attempts to take away rights. Here is what happened this week in case you missed anything. For more up-to-the-minute news stories, follow Family Fairness on Twitter.
- Florida, currently the only US state to explicitly ban gays and lesbians from adopting, will now recognize adoptions performed out of state. The Florida Court of Appeals has ruled that the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the US Constitution requires that Florida respect the adoptions granted in other states. Though DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act, permits opting not to grant full faith and credit to out-of-state same-sex marriages, no law permits states to ignore legally performed adoptions. Another suit challenging the gay adoption ban is also working its way through Florida courts.
- Though Pennsylvania has twice failed to pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, the legislature is trying again. The state currently has a statute restricting marriage to opposite-sex couples, but fears that Pennsylvania courts will soon overturn the law are leading some to push for an amendment. Before going to voters, both houses of the legislature must first approve the measure in two consecutive terms. Democrats, who control the House 104-99 but fall short in the Senate 30-20, have pledged to block the bill's passage.
- In an apparent showing of frustration with Governor Lynch, the New Hampshire House has refused to pass their same-sex marriage bill with the governor's suggested changes by a vote of 188-186. Lynch threatened to veto the bill that had previously passed both the House and Senate unless changes were made that enhanced protections for religious organizations that are opposed to marriage equality. House representatives have suggested that they should attempt to override Lynch's veto rather than catering to his demands. Another vote is scheduled for next month, and will determine the course of marriage equality in New Hampshire.
- The Nevada legislature has approved a domestic partnership bill for same-sex couples, but Governor Jim Gibbons has said that he intends to veto it, saying that he "believes there are existing contracts that can be created, so no change to the law is needed. If there are people who want to be domestic partners, they can do so under existing laws." The governor forgets, of course, that several vital rights cannot simply be contracted, and that these legal mechanisms come only with great time and financial investments that would be unnecessary if domestic partnerships or marriage was available. The House and Senate each need two additional votes in order to override the governor's veto.
- Senators Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins, and Representatives Tammy Baldwin and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen have introduced legislation to give the same-sex partners of federal employees the same benefits available to spouses. The William's Institute estimates that the new law would benefit 30,000 couples. Though the federal government still would not recognize legally performed marriages, the granting of rights and privileges to partners of federal employees is an important step in the recognition of gay and lesbian families.
- Though the Washington D.C. City Council recently passed a measure to recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages, 33 members of Congress are now attempting to pass the D.C. Defense of Marriage Act, a bill that would mandate "[t]hat in the District of Columbia, for all legal purposes, 'marriage' means the union of one man and one woman." It is unlikely that the bill will pass, as it requires the support of a majority of the Democrat-controlled House and the Democrat-controlled Senate, and also requires the signature of President Obama, who believes in the de-federalization of marriage legislation.
Did I miss anything? Be sure to let me know in the comments. You may also follow Family Fairness on Twitter for more up-to-the-minute news stories.
Have any insight on this topic? Want to ask a question or make a suggestion? Click here to leave a comment.
Related Articles
- This Week in Gay News Roundup: 4/26 - 4/30
- Vermont’s Push for Same-Sex Marriage Halted?
- Vermont Governor Pledges to Veto Marriage Bill
- Vermont Approves Same-sex Marriage
- This Week in Gay News Roundup: 5/24 - 5/30