Tuesday, December 17, 2002

A story released today by the Associated Press reports that a top Connecticut lawmaker said Monday he believes the General Assembly next year will take another step toward providing legal recognition of same-sex marriage in the state.

''I think something will happen,'' Rep. Michael Lawlor, co-chairman of the General Assembly's Judiciary Committee.

''One way or another the legislature will debate this,'' the East Haven Democrat said following a public hearing on the matter. ''There's no question public opinion is shifting.''

Joshua K. Baker, a lawyer with the Marriage Law Project at the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., urged legislators to act before the courts.

''Activist groups have said that they favor litigation aimed at securing recognition of same-sex marriage where they are unable to do so legislatively,'' he said. ''This scenario is particularly troubling because it could lead to the radical redefinition of Connecticut's marriage law, not by the Connecticut legislature but by the courts or legislature of another state.''

Connecticut is one of 14 states that have not enacted legislation addressing same-sex marriages recognized by another jurisdiction, Baker said.

Maureen Murphy, a New Haven lawyer, said numerous Connecticut Superior Court decisions have held that same-sex couples and their children constitute a family unit for family law purposes.

Legislation enacted earlier this year allows a person to legally designate another person to make medical decisions and end-of life choices, such as organ donation and life support.

The bill also allows for private visits in nursing homes and requires employers to allow emergency phone calls from the legally designated person.

The measure was a compromise from earlier proposals for civil unions and same-sex marriage. It required the Judiciary Committee to study same-sex marriage and civil unions and issue a report in January.