Thursday, March 28, 2002
Same-sex couples’ rights to be tackled by Connecticut lawmakers
A story published today by the Connecticut Post reports that Connecticut lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agreed Wednesday that the Legislature will have another chance to vote this session on whether to expand the rights of same-sex couples.
On Monday, the assembly's Judiciary Committee approved legislation to provide same-sex couples expanded legal protections, but the bill missed a filing deadline and is technically dead.
Despite the problem, Speaker of the House Moira K. Lyons, D-Stamford, said the bill would be acted on soon.
Republican Gov. John G. Rowland conceded there is bipartisan support to give same-sex couples additional legal protections, but there's not enough time in the short, mid-term budget-adjustment session to tackle the thornier issue of civil unions or gay marriages.
Proponents said that they would revive the legislation as an amendment on the House floor.
Lyons' support is tantamount to a green light for the amendment to be raised within the next couple of weeks.
The bill, written so as not to directly mention same-sex couples, would have allowed people to make written contracts to provide many rights that gay and lesbian partners are not allowed.
It would allow people to make health-related decisions for their partners, including life-support, autopsy, organ-donation and cremation commitments.
It would also allow for partners to visit private nursing homes and file wrongful death claims and have victim status in the event of a murder.
"The debate is on and I think the Legislature will spend more time than we have on the rights they may or may not have," Rowland said Wednesday.
