NM: Senate Committee Kills Domestic Partnership Bill

A bill that would have allowed Domestic Partnerships providing basic legal protections and recognition of same-sex couple relationships and their families under New Mexico law was tabled by a 7 to 4 vote during a New Mexico Senate Finance Committee hearing this evening, effectively killing the bill for this legislative session.

While the domestic partnerships bill had the strong backing of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, for nearly three weeks fierce debate has raged over the legislation. Several Republican lawmakers said that if the bill passed it would almost certainly lead to a lawsuit to bring same-sex marriage to the state.

The legislation would have establish that two unmarried people who live together as a committed couple are entitled to receive the same “rights and responsibilities” under state law as a married couple. Under the bill, both straight and gay couples could become domestic partners by filling out paperwork and paying a minimal fee to a county clerk.

Full Story from Lez Get Real
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MD: Anti Gay Marriage Bill Killed

A key Maryland House committee killed a bill Wednesday that would have prohibited the state from recognizing legal gay marriage performed in other states, according to the Maryland Reporter. Delegate Emmett C. Burns Jr.'s bill died in the House of Delegates Judiciary Committee on a 12 to 8 vote. Burns, a Democrat, is also a Baltimore County Baptist minister.

Two conservative Democrats, Gerron Levi and Kevin Kelly, joined six Republicans in voting in favor of the measure.

Maryland currently restricts marriage to heterosexual unions by law.
Last year, a gay marriage bill never made it out of committee, despite wide support from committee members.

Full Story from On Top Magazine
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