Civil Unions

Bisbee approves civil unions, again

Submitted by ONE Community on May 22, 2013 - 12:24am

BISBEE — New language for a proposed civil union ordinance didn’t change the outcome of a vote by Bisbee City Council members Tuesday night.

The council voted 5-2 to pass a revised version of an ordinance originally adopted April 23. After Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne warned that his office would file a lawsuit to prevent Bisbee from enacting the ordinance, city attorney John MacKinnon revised the local legislation.

Tuesday night a crowd number about 85 people showed up at the council chambers to again take up debate on civil unions. Read more »

ONE Community

Rhode Island Poised To Approve Gay Marriage

Submitted by ONE Community on May 2, 2013 - 2:41pm

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Rhode Island is poised to join nine other states and the District of Columbia in allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry.

Gov. Lincoln Chafee planned to sign gay marriage legislation into law Thursday evening, immediately following a final procedural vote in the state's General Assembly. The outcome of the vote is not in doubt.

Hundreds are expected to gather at the Statehouse to celebrate the new law, which has already passed the House and Senate once. The first weddings could take place Aug. 1, when the new law would take effect. Read more »

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Colorado Civil Unions Law Goes Into Effect May 1, Couples To Have Ceremonies At Midnight

Submitted by ONE Community on April 23, 2013 - 5:49pm

It's been a long and winding road, but civil unions are just around the corner in Colorado.

The law goes into effect at midnight on May 1st and some couples are planning to have their civil union ceremonies right then, at midnight.

The state's largest LGBT rights group One Colorado is hosting a "Civil Soiree" to celebrate the passage of the bill, to which tickets have already sold out.

“We want to honor the hard work and tireless dedication of the thousands of One Colorado supporters who made this moment possible — and that’s what The Civil Soirée is all about!” director Brad Clark said in an email. Read more »

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Granville vows to push for civil unions in Tempe

Submitted by ONE Community on April 9, 2013 - 5:37pm

During the week that thousands gathered at Phoenix’s Pride Festival to bring awareness to gay-rights issues, a Tempe councilman vowed to fight for legalizing civil unions for same-sex couples.

Councilman Kolby Granville says his push for civil unions for Tempe residents will not be deterred by Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne’s threats to sue Bisbee for approving similar rights last week.

Granville, a Democrat, believes that despite the state’s ban against same-sex marriages, Tucson and Flagstaff, historically liberal-leaning cities, soon will join efforts in Arizona to legalize civil unions. Read more »

ONE Community

Tempe to begin discussion on civil-union laws

Submitted by ONE Community on April 5, 2013 - 2:10pm

Tempe, a historically progressive city, is poised to become embroiled in the debate over equal rights for same-sex couples.

Today, the Tempe City Council will discuss civil-union laws in its private executive session. The discussion comes two days after residents of Bisbee watched their council approve a historic vote to legalize civil-union certificates, which provide same-sex partners with some of the same rights as married couples.

Tempe Councilman Kolby Granville called the Bisbee vote momentous. On Wednesday, Granville, a Democrat, told The Arizona Republic that he asked for the council executive session on civil unions. He wants Tempe to be the first Valley city to approve civil-union certificates for its residents. Read more »

ONE Community

BREAKING: Colorado Senate Approves Civil Unions Legislation

Submitted by ONE Community on February 9, 2013 - 2:34pm

Just now, the Colorado Senate voted 21-14 to approve Senate Bill 11, which would create civil unions for same-sex couples. This was the second of two readings, with a final vote expected on Monday. During the debate, several Republicans attempted to add various amendments that would create special religious protections for adoption agencies to discriminate against same-sex couples, but none of them passed. Denver area political reporter Eli Stokols pointed out that last year’s civil unions bill had such protections, but House Republicans went out of their way to block that bill from passing. Read more »

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Colorado Democrats Elect State’s First Gay Speaker

Submitted by ONE Community on November 9, 2012 - 10:54am

DENVER — Democratic lawmakers in Colorado sustained a wrenching defeat in the final days of the legislative session last spring. A bill that would have allowed civil unions for same-sex couples was blocked from getting a full vote in the State House of Representatives by Republican leaders, who knew Democrats had the votes to pass it.

But this week, Democrats here regained control of the House, buttressed by a favorably redrawn legislative map and simmering anger over the civil unions debate.

And on Thursday, punctuating the moment, Democratic lawmakers elected the state’s first openly gay speaker of the House. Read more »

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Huntsman: Equality for gays, lesbians is a continuing journey

Submitted by ONE Community on September 29, 2012 - 5:09pm

Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who roiled Utah’s political waters when he endorsed civil unions for gay and lesbian couples, said America needs to continue its pursuit of "equality under the law," but said states should decide how to deal with same-sex marriage.

"What’s important here is people having the conversation about inclusiveness and about fairness and about equality under the law," Huntsman said Thursday. "It’s hard to know what the wrapping looks like, what the definition and term happens to be, and each state might end up doing it a little differently, but the end point ought to be equality under the law." Read more »

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Setback for gay marriage in Hawaii

Submitted by ONE Community on August 10, 2012 - 4:04pm

HONOLULU – A federal judge ruled Wednesday against two Hawaii women who want to get married instead of entering into a civil union, handing a victory to opponents of gay marriage in a state that’s been at the forefront of the issue.

U.S. District Judge Alan C. Kay’s ruling sides with Hawaii Health Director Loretta Fuddy and Hawaii Family Forum, a Christian group that was allowed to intervene in the case. Hawaiian law allows for civil unions, but not for gay marriages. Read more »

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Arizona miscellaneous poll

Submitted by ONE Community on June 4, 2012 - 11:46am

President Obama won’t be seeing any backlash in Arizona for his recent declaration of support for gay marriage. 77% of Arizona voters believe gay couples should either be allowed to marry or form civil unions. And support isn’t just limited to liberal voters—in addition to 94% support from Democrats, 63% of Republicans and 83% of independents back gay marriages or civil unions.

Read more »