NY: Senate Passes Family Health Care Decisions Bill

After being stalled in the Legislature for 17 years, the New York State Senate has finally joined the Assembly in passing the Family Health Care Decisions Act that enables a loved one to made health care decisions when the patient is not able to do so. The bill places a same-sex or opposite-sex domestic partner, just like a spouse, ahead of a surviving child or parent in making these decisions. Governor Paterson has said he will sign the bill into law when it is sent to him.

New York has been one of just two states where without a health care proxy, no one-not a domestic partner, spouse, or family member-could make health care decisions when the patient lacked the ability to do so. This gap in state law has sometimes forced loved ones to seek medical decision-making authority from a judge at the very time they should be focusing all their attention on caring for their partner.

The enactment of this legislation will allow loved ones including same-sex spouses who were married out-of-state or fit the domestic partnership definition to have the ability to make these decisions.

Full Story from Outcome
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Australia: Green Party Calls for Conscience Vote on Gay Marriage

Tony Abbott likes to talk freely about sex so he should let his colleagues do the same on the issue of gay marriage, the Australian Greens say. A bill to alter the Marriage Act, introduced by Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young last year, is likely to be debated in the Senate next week.

The debate follows a record-breaking Senate inquiry, which received 27,000 submissions both for and against same-sex marriage. Senator Hanson-Young says it's a hot topic that should be put to a conscience vote in the Senate. "Both Labor and the coalition have argued that same-sex marriage is a moral issue, so the bill should be treated that way," she told AAP.

"And a free vote would allow MPs to express how they really feel."

Full Story from Smh.com.au
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IA: Four Democratic Senators Join Republicans to Push for Gay Marriage Ban

Four Democratic state senators - Dennis Black of Grinnell, Keith Kreiman of Bloomfield, Rich Olive of Story City and Joe Seng of Davenport - broke with their party and signed on to a Republican petition to force a vote on same-sex marriage. But with last week marking the first self-imposed legislative "funnel week" deadline for bills to clear committee to stay eligible for consideration this year, the marriage amendment is officially dead, at least in this form.

Last week, Republicans attempted to use a procedural move, called a discharge petition, to pull Senate Joint Resolution 2001 out of committee and put it before the full Senate for debate and a vote. The bill would begin the process of amending the state's constitution to ban same-sex marriage. All 18 Senate Republicans were joined by Democratic state Sen. Tom Hancock of Epworth in signing the petition.

A similar attempt was made in the state House that also failed to find enough votes to bring a gay marriage ban up for a vote.

Full Story from the Iowa Independent
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IA: House & Senate Reject Gay Marriage Ban

Both the Iowa House and Senate on Tuesday rejected Republican-led efforts to move forward on a resolution to repeal same-sex marriage. The actions were procedural and not direct votes on the issue of marriage. They centered on identical joint resolutions in each chamber seeking to amend the Iowa Constitution to specify the state will recognize only marriage between one man and one woman.

Republicans sought to pull the resolutions out of committees so that they would be placed on the debate calendar and avoid a legislative deadline this week.

No vote was taken on Senate Joint Resolution 2001. However, all 18 Senate Republicans signed a petition circulated by Sen. David Johnson, R-Ocheyedan, as well as one Democratic senator, Tom Hancock, D-Epworth. They needed 26.

Full Story from the Des Moines Register
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The New Republican Senate Majority Offers a Compelling Agenda (Satire)

As their party now controls the Senate with an insurmountable 41-59 minority, Republican leaders yesterday presented their legislative agenda for 2010 and asked Democrats to join them in crafting non-partisan solutions to nation’s problems.

Jobs, jobs, jobs is the Republicans’ highest priority. Their Shelby stimulus plan would create 125 jobs by funding $40 billion of earmarks for two projects in Alabama. In a conciliatory gesture, Sen. Shelby (R-AL) would also release his blanket hold on Obama nominees, thus putting at least 70 more people to work.

The second part of the Republican jobs plan is tax cuts for America’s wealthiest. “We must change the incentives,” Republican Leader Mitch McConnell argued. “With taxes so high, most of the unemployed see no reason to get a job. Moreover, as we have proven before, tax cuts by themselves create jobs.” McConnell pointed to the Bush tax cuts that resulted in over 800 new jobs in catering bat mitzvahs for daughters of hedge fund operators. Sen. DeMint (R-S.C.) added that that enacting Republican social initiatives — the prohibition of gay marriage, abortion, and reality-based thought — would create millions of jobs.

Full Story from Crosscut.com
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IN: Senate Approves Constitutional Ban on Gay Marriage

The GOP-led Senate voted again Thursday to approve a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage in Indiana. Senate Joint Resolution 13 passed 38-10 with all local senators in support. The resolution must be approved again in 2011 before voters could make the final decision in a 2012 statewide referendum.

“Marriage is one of the foundations of our society and one I firmly believe needs to be protected,” said Sen. Carlin Yoder, R-Middlebury.

Sen. Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, expressed concern that the second sentence in the amendment could affect domestic violence protections afforded to unmarried Hoosiers. That provision says a “legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized.” “This certainly will not say welcome to many people in our society,” Lanane said.

Full Story from the Journal Gazette
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IN: Senate May Vote Today on Gay Marriage Ban

Supporters of gay rights are moving to head off the latest attempt to put a gay-marriage ban in the Indiana Constitution. The Senate could vote as early as Thursday on a constitutional amendment. Opponents of the proposal concede it's almost certain to pass, and likely to die in the House.

Attorney Don Sherfick with Indiana Equality Action says the group is taking no chances. He says the IEA is lobbying for neither gay marriage nor civil unions at the moment, but argues a constitutional amendment would short-circuit public dialogue.

The National Association of Social Workers is joining in opposing the ban. Indianapolis social worker Josephine Hughes says the group considers it discriminatory.

Full Story from WIBC
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PA: Constitutional Ban on Gay Marriage Introduced in Senate

State Sen. John H. Eichelberger Jr., R-Blair, has introduced a constitutional amendment to limit marriage to the union of one man and one woman, in keeping with plans announced in May. If his proposal succeeds, it would forestall state courts from striking down Pennsylvania's current ban on gay marriage, as courts in a few other states have done.

"We were going to do it last year, but the budget problems forced us to wait," Eichelberger, R-Blair, said Tuesday. Opponents dismiss the initiative as discriminatory, distracting, tone-deaf and doomed to fail.

Eichelberger's joint resolution with 15 co-sponsors will need to pass the Senate and House this year during the current legislative term, then - starting from scratch as a bill - both houses again during the next two-year term.

Full Story from the Altoona Mirror
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NM: Domestic Partnership Bill May be Introduced in Senate Today

Supporters of domestic partnership rights said their massive 825 page bill could be introduced Monday in Santa Fe during the regular session. Todd McElroy of Equality New Mexico , an organization supporting the bill, said it will give unmarried couples, gay or straight, the same rights and benefits as married couples.

"Those are the property rights, rights of inheritance, medical decisions making, and those sorts of things that are automatically bestowed with a marriage license," McElroy said. Last year's domestic partnership bill , which died in the Senate, was only 11 pages.

McElroy said this year's bill has grown so much because it spells out the more than 300 rights given to married couples in the state.

Full Story from KRQE
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HI: Senate Passes Civil Unions Bill With Veto-Proof Majority

The Hawaii Senate has approved same-sex civil unions, setting up the measure for final passage. The Senate passed the bill on an 18-7 vote, moving it to the House and signaling that the Senate's Democratic majority has enough votes to override a possible veto from Republican Gov. Linda Lingle. The House has yet to decide if it will vote on the bill. House leaders say they will take up the bill if they have a veto-proof two-thirds majority but may let it die if they have only a small majority. "It's very close," said Democratic Speaker of the House Calvin Say. "During an election year, this issue is so divisive that it may hurt many of our members." Full Story from the Daily Record

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IN: Senate Committee Sends Anti Gay Marriage Bill to Full Senate

Earlier this week I posted that Indiana was set to discuss a Senate Joint Resolution regarding marriage equality, SJR-13. Well that happened this morning and it's not good news. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed it by a vote of 6 to 4. Which means that it is now eligible for consideration by the full Senate. Here's more information from the Indiana Equality message boards: Breaking Legislative News- Amendment to go to Full Senate: SJR-13 - Marriage Discrimination Amendment Moves to Full Senate This morning, Wednesday, January 20, 2010, the Indiana Senate Judiciary Committee passed Senate Joint Resolution 13 (SJR-13) by a vote of 6 to 4. Approving the bill were Senators Bray, Zakas, Head, Holman, Schneider, and Steele. Voting no were Senators Lanane, Randolph, Taylor, and Broden. Senator Alting was not in the room for the vote. The Marriage Discrimination Amendment is now eligible for consideration by the full Senate. Full Story from What's a Boy to Do

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MA: Will Brown Election Block DOMA, DADT Repeals?

Pending gay rights bills in Congress are likely to have a difficult – if not impossible – time winning approval after Republican Scott Brown's win over Democrat Martha Coakley in the Massachusetts Senate race Tuesday. Coakley was widely considered a shoo-in to replace the late Ted Kennedy when she entered the special election. While Coakley's pro-gay rights positions are well know, Brown attempted to cloak his, refusing to answer such questions from the mainstream media. Brown would only say he holds a similar position on gay marriage as President Obama, who publicly supports civil unions for gay and lesbian couples. Brown, however, did respond to questions from the anti-gay group Massachusetts Family Institute. According to a scorecard released by the group, Brown opposes gay marriage, laws that would outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace and repeal of the military's ban on open gay service, also known as “don't ask, don't tell.” Full Story from On Top Magazine

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HI: Civil Union Vote Friday?

It was the most dramatic vote of last year's Legislature, and it resolved nothing: The impassioned debate at the Capitol over civil unions and gay marriage is back this week. "It is my understanding that it will be put on the Order of the Day (agenda) Thursday and put it up for a vote on Friday," said Sen. Brian Taniguchi, chairman of the Judiciary Committee. The bill was stalled in his committee with three committee members in favor and three against the bill, when it was yanked onto the Senate floor last year. It was high political drama because the bill to legalize civil unions between same-sex partners had already passed the House. Just 13 yes votes and the historic measure would go to Gov. Linda Lingle. But the Senate blinked, amending the bill and promising to come back and try again. That time is this session. Full Story from the Star Bulletin

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Heads Must Roll, Starting With Harry Reid

After the stunning upset in Massachusetts, where the seat of Ted Kennedy went to a far-right Republican in this bluest of states, I've been unable to sleep. I've been reflecting on how we got here, just a year after the historic election of Barack Obama as our nation's first black President, and the wave of hope that swept him into office. In that short year, the Democrats have managed to fritter and dither away everything that we worked so hard to give them during the campaign - the largest mandate for change we've seen since the '60's, a super majority in the US Senate, and the moral high ground vacated by the Bush Republicans after seven years of war and a destroyed economy. If we're to avoid crushing losses in this year's midterm elections, we need to make sweeping changes, and it has to start in the Senate. While Nancy Pelosi managed to pass, first in committee and then in the full house, a reasonable health care bill that included a public option, Harry Reid has proven himself inept at managing the Senate. Starting by assigning the bill to multiple committees, he has been incapable of riding herd on the Blue Dog Democrats, and as a result has given away almost everything that made this bill work. In the meantime, his delays have cost the party dearly, giving the Republicans first the August recess to vilify the bill, and now months to get the final vote they need to try to kill it. Why in the hell has it taken so bloody long to get here? He's also accepted the Republicans' filibusters as the status quo. Never before has EVERY SINGLE BILL needed 60 votes to pass in the Senate. And will someone please tell me why he never FORCED THEM TO ACTUALLY FILIBUSTER? The sight of the Republicans literally talking progress to death would have been a potent symbol in the early days of the administration. Reid and the White House also coddled Lieberman after this turncoat stabbed us in the back in 2008, campaigning with McCain and saying awful things about then Candidate Obama. He kept his chairmanships, with the promise that he'd support the party line down the road. We all know how well that turned out. The White House has hardly been blameless here. From Rahm Emanuel's utter failure to corral votes for the health care bill to President Obama's continuing insistence on bipartisanship even in the face of universal Republican foot dragging and disdain, it has become clear that this President was unprepared for the vitriol, lies, and gamesmanship of the GOP. So here we are. We're heading into the midterm elections with an angry electorate, a health care bill that the left thinks is gutted and the right thinks is socialist propaganda, and a near fatal blow to the Obama agenda. It's time to clean house. Reid has to go. He has proven again and again that he is unfit to lead the Senate Democrats. Whomever takes his place needs to know how to play hard-knucke politics, and needs to remember that Bush got everything done with a much smaller majority than the Democrats still have. Rahm Emanuel should be replaced with someone who knows how to count and court votes. Obama needs someone who will emulate Bush's White House and will ask for twice what they want, and settle for half of that. Instead of starting with the Public Option, we should have asked for Nationalized Health Care, and then settled for the Public Option. And Obama needs to return to his campaign promises. He's on the verge of losing the progressives in his party because of what at best appears to be benign neglect - choosing banks over blue collars, bigots over the gays, insurance companies over the insured. In our own little corner of the world, AG Jerry Brown needs to get his ass off the toilet seat and get in the race. Here, like in Massachusetts, the Republican candidates are already out there defining the race, while Brown dithers and plays the "will he, won't he" game. There's still (precious little) time to turn this thing around, but the leadership has to listen to the netroots and the grassroots and get serious about moving the progressive agenda. Will they listen? Only time will tell. If they don't, I'm done with this party.

IA: Republicans Introduce Anti Gay Marriage Resolution in Senate

In the latest move against gay marriage in Iowa, 18 Iowa Senate Republicans have introduced a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment specifying marriage between one man and one woman as the only legal union that is valid or recognized in the state. One of the sponsors, Sen. Merlin Bartz of Grafton, said Thursday's move was important in that it gives Iowa citizens a chance to get the ball rolling. But Bartz conceded Senate Joint Resolution 2001 faces nearly insurmountable odds in being debated during the 2010 session given the steadfast opposition from Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, a Council Bluffs Democrat. Full Story from the Globe Gazette: http://www.globegazette.com/articles/2010/01/15/news/latest/doc4b50698a2d73c829486555.txt#vmix_media_id=9300077

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NJ: How the Senators Voted on Gay Marriage

The 20-14 roll call vote by which the New Jersey Senate on Thursday defeated a bill to legalize gay marriage. Voting "no" were 6 Democrats and 14 Republicans. Voting "yes" were 13 Democrats and 1 Republican. It would have taken 21 "yes" votes to pass. Democrats - Yes Buono, Metuchen; Codey, West Orange; Cunningham, Jersey City; Gill, Montclair; Gordon, Fair Lawn; Lesniak, Elizabeth; Ruiz, Newark; Scutari, Linden; Smith, Piscataway; Stack, Union City; Vitale, Woodbridge; Weinberg, Teaneck; Whalen, Atlantic City. Democrats - No Girgenti, Hawthorne; Madden, Washington Township, Gloucester County; Rice, Newark; Sacco, North Bergen; Turner, Trenton; Van Drew, Dennis. Democrats - Not voting Beach, Voorhees; Sarlo, Wood-Ridge; Sweeney, West Deptford. Republicans - Yes Baroni, Hamilton. Republicans - No Bateman, Branchburg; Beck, Red Bank; Bucco, Denville; Cardinale, Demarest; Connors, Surf City; Doherty, Washington Township, Warren County; Haines, Springfield; S. Kean, Wall; T. Kean, Westfield; Kyrillos, Middletown; Oroho, Franklin Borough; O'Toole, Cedar Grove; Pennacchio, Montville; Singer, Lakewood. Republicans - Not voting Allen, Edgewater Park; Ciesla, Brick. Full Story from the Daily Record: http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20100108/UPDATES01/301080003/1005/NEWS01

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NJ: Marriage Equality Groups to Petition Supreme Court

Gay rights activists failed in their attempt to have New Jersey become the sixth state to legalize gay marriage when a bill fell far short of passage Thursday in the state Senate. By a 20-14 vote, the Senate rejected the measure, despite a 100-minute debate dominated by legislators urging its passage and the presence of hundreds of gay rights activists. Five state senators did not vote on the measure, including Sen. Stephen M. Sweeney, D-Camden, who is expected to be named the Senate president later this month, and Sen. James Beach, D-Camden. Sen. Andrew R. Ciesla, R-Ocean, was absent. Sen. Bill Baroni Jr., R-Mercer, was the only one of the upper house's 17 Republicans to vote for the legislation. ... After the vote, gay rights activists vowed to go to the state Supreme Court, where they planned to argue that the state's civil union law has failed to provide equal rights and that the current law is a violation of the freedom of religion for those denominations that recognize homosexual marriage. Full Story from the Daily Record: http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20100108/COMMUNITIES/301080004/1005/news01/Activists-plan-NJ-Supreme-Court-fight

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NJ: Gay Marriage Bill Defeated in Senate by 20-14

A bill which would legalise gay marriage in New Jersey failed in the state Senate yesterday. It was defeated by 20-14 votes. The vote was a last-ditch bid to push the bill through before new governor Chris Christie takes office later this month. He has said he does not support marriage for same-sex couples. A vote in December was delayed because supporting senators did not believe the bill had enough votes to pass. Current governor Jim Corzine said he was "deeply disappointed" the bill did not pass. Gay rights advocates are already planning a legal challenge against the decision. Full Story from Pink News: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/08/gay-marriage-bill-fails-in-new-jersey-senate/

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NJ: Senate to Vote on Gay Marriage Bill Tomorrow

New Jersey's Senate will vote tomorrow on gay marriage in a final attempt to pass the bill before a new governor takes office. A vote was cancelled in early December after Democrats were reportedly concerned the bill did not have enough votes to pass. Outgoing governor Jim Corzine has said he will sign the bill but his successor Chris Christie takes over later on January 19th and has made his opposition to gay marriage clear. If successful in the Senate, the bill must pass the Assembly before going for governor approval. Full Story from Pink News: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2010/01/06/new-jersey-in-last-ditch-vote-on-gay-marriage/

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NJ: Final Effort for Gay Marriage Vote

Gay-rights advocates in New Jersey made what could be a last-ditch push yesterday to persuade lawmakers to legalize gay marriage quickly. At a time when lawmakers are calling the issue a matter of conscience, activists have been pushing the idea that some religious leaders are accepting of same-sex marriage. "It's not about religion," said the Rev. Joseph Harmon, pastor of the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation in Jersey City. "People who won't want to do it for religion reasons don't have to." A group of about 150 clergy of various faiths sent lawmakers a letter making a similar argument and asking them to support gay marriage. Full Story from the Philadelphia Inquirer: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20100105_N_J__rally_backs_gay_marriage.html

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