Mutual Commitment Registry Proposed for Mesa, Arizona

When Stephanie Zinn rushed her partner, Meta Goforth-Zinn, to an East Valley emergency room, hospital staff asked Stephanie to call Meta's family. Stephanie said, "I am her family." But no one would listen to her until she produced a medical power of attorney document giving her the right to be at the bedside of her longtime lesbian partner. "Before she brought that piece of paper, Stephanie got absolutely pushed out of the room," Meta said. "It was basically a case of 'Who are you?' and 'Get out of here.'" To Goforth-Zinn, that incident was a reminder that people in relationships like hers, many of whom don't have such papers handy, can have a hard time with visitation rights in hospitals and the right to make medical decisions for their loved ones. That's why the Queen Creek couple is in full support of ongoing discussions, in a fledgling stage at this point, about instituting a mutual commitment registry in Mesa. The registry, as envisioned by proponent Denise Heap, chairwoman of the East Valley LGBTQs for Change organization, would allow for hospital visitation rights and the right for a registered individual to be able to make medical decisions for a partner. Full Story from the East Valley Tribune: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/145864

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Arizona.

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Wisconsin Asks State Supreme Court to Reject Challenge to Domestic Partnership Registry

Lawyers representing Gov. Jim Doyle, a gay rights group and several gay couples have asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to reject a challenge to the state's new domestic partnership registry. Members of a social conservative group filed a lawsuit in July claiming the registry violates the constitutional ban on gay marriage and civil unions approved by voters in 2006. They asked the Supreme Court to take the case immediately, bypassing trial and appeals courts, because of its statewide significance. The Supreme Court is considering whether to take the case and had ordered the state to respond by Tuesday. At least four justices have to agree to do so. Full Story from the Green Bay Press Gazette: http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090928/GPG0101/909280508/1207/GPG01/Domestic-partnership-battle-wages-on

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Wisconsin.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com with "subscribe blog" as the subject. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.