May 25, 2007 11:25 am US/Central
Legislator Introduces Revised Civil Unions Bill
Activist: Earlier, Longer Bill Had Too Many References To Gay Marriage
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Legislators have issued a revised version of a bill to grant same sex couples civil unions in Illinois, according to a published report.
Rick Garcia of the group Equality Illinois told the Chicago Free Press in the newspaper's issue this week that the new version of HB1826, which was sponsored by state Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), had been cut from 22 pages to one.
He told the newspaper that while shortening bills is common as they make their way through the General Assembly, the reason in this case was primarily because many legislators objected to references to marriage in the bill.
Garcia told the Free Press he hoped more legislators would take notice of the bill.
The measure would grant the same rights and protections to committed gay couples as the law now gives married couples. Those include insurance coverage or caring for a partner's children.
But opponents say the legislation is too similar to a gay marriage bill Harris abandoned. They say current legal procedures can grant gay couples rights like those in marriages get.
Civil unions are allowed in Connecticut, Vermont and recently New Jersey. California has a similar domestic-partner law. Massachusetts allows gay marriage.
Religious activists tried and failed to get a referendum asking for a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage on the ballot last November. But in the same election, Wisconsin voters amended their state constitution to ban gay marriage and civil unions.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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