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CO, USA: 53% Support Marriage Equality

Saturday, April 14th, 2012

A majority of Coloradans support legalizing gay marriage, a new survey has found. According to a poll of 542 Colorado voters released Friday by Public Polling Policy, 53 percent of respondents support the institution, while 40 percent say marriage should remain a union exclusive to heterosexual couples.

An overwhelming number of respondents also preferred marriage (47%) over civil unions (28%) for gay couples. Only 22 percent said there should be no legal recognition whatsoever for the relationships of gay couples.

“Colorado is another in a growing number of states where polls show voters are rapidly shifting towards supporting legal gay marriage,” Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy Polling, said in releasing the poll’s findings.

Full Story from On Top Magazine

Click here for gay wedding resources in Colorado.

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Tags: civil unions, colorado, Gay Marriage, marriage equality, poll

DE, USA: Civil Unions Proving Popular

Thursday, April 12th, 2012

More than 100 civil unions were issued in New Castle County between January and March. This number exceeds how many Clerk of the Peace Ken Boulden thought they would issue during the first quarter.

Since becoming legal Jan. 1, the number of civil union licenses issue by the county has exceeded early projections. The county issued 102 licenses during these three months; 65 to female partners and 37 to male partners.

“I was anticipating about one license per business day; or about 20 a month. That would have been 60 for the first quarter,” Boulden said. “We topped that by more than 40 licenses.”

Full Story from CommunityPub.com

Click here for gay wedding resources in Delaware.

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Tags: civil unions, delaware

Queensland, Australia: Attorney General Asks for Legal Advice on Civil Unions Repeal

Wednesday, April 11th, 2012

Queensland’s new Attorney-General has called for legal advice on the state’s civil union laws, saying “all options are on the table”.

The Australian reports that Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie has sought legal advice from his department, canvassing all available alternatives including a full or partial repeal of the laws.

There are at least 100 same-sex civil unions registered in Queensland that would be affected by any change, although Bleijie has said the topic was open for discussion.

Full Story from the Star Observer

Click here for gay wedding resources in Australia.

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Tags: attorney general, australia, civil unions, queensland

CO, USA: One More Month for Legislature to Pass Civil Unions

Sunday, April 8th, 2012

Colorado lawmakers are entering their final month of the 2012 session with plenty left to do — but without the caustic atmosphere one might expect in the closing days of an election year.

The state’s divided Legislature has until May 9 to balance the budget and make final decisions on questions such as civil unions, tuition rates for illegal immigrants and changing how underage criminal defendants are treated.

It sounds like a recipe for political heartburn, but the Capitol mood is surprisingly optimistic. “We’re in a great place right now,” House Republican Leader Amy Stephens said.

Full Story from NECN

Click here for gay wedding resources in Colorado.

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Tags: bull, civil unions, colorado, legislature

IL, USA: Kane County Gays Afraid to Apply for Benefits Under Civil Unions

Thursday, April 5th, 2012

A state law that made civil unions legal for gay and lesbian couples is almost a year old, but officials said same-sex couples generally have not applied for public-employer insurance benefits.

The law specifies that those in a civil union – whether gay or straight – are entitled to the same legal obligations, responsibilities, protections and benefits afforded by Illinois state law to spouses.

St. Charles School District 303 has one employee who applied to receive the benefit. Other public bodies – including the Geneva Public Library and Batavia Public Schools District 101 – reported no takers. Elgin attorney John Dalton said that is not unusual and many gay employees probably are not ready to apply for benefits because they fear reprisals.

Full Story from the KC Chronicle

Click here for gay wedding resources in Illinois.

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Tags: benefits, civil unions, fear, illinois, kane county

IL, USA: Lake County Changes Course, Will Offer Civil Unions to Out-of-State Couples

Wednesday, April 4th, 2012

Lake County has reversed its policy of denying civil union licenses to same-sex couples who travel from states that do not recognize the unions, just days after an Indiana couple reported they were turned away.

Gina Osting-Riddle and Andrea Riddle filed a complaint in Lake County on March 30 because they were denied a civil union license. According to Osting-Riddle, County Clerk employees told them that because their home state of Indiana prohibited civil unions, Lake County could not issue them a civil union certificate.

Civil unions are not prohibited in Indiana. Rather, they are not recognized, and other Illinois counties have issued Indiana couples civil union licenses.

Full Story from Windy City

Click here for gay wedding resources in Illinois.

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Tags: civil unions, illinois, lake county

NC, USA: Amendment One Will Pass Unless Voters Know What’s In It

Thursday, March 29th, 2012

PPP’s newest look at the marriage amendment in North Carolina finds it passing by a wide margin, but also that voters don’t really understand what the ban does and that once they do things get a lot closer.

58% of voters in the state say that they’ll vote yes on Amendment 1, while 38% are opposed to it. Republicans pretty universally support it, 76/20. Democrats are closely divided with 48% in support and 47% opposed. White Democrats are opposed to the proposed ban, but African Americans support it 61/30.

The group most opposed is actually independents, who say they’ll vote against it 55/42. That’s an important commentary on unaffiliated voters beyond this issue- they lean Republican in North Carolina right now because they’re unhappy with the economy, but they’re not hardcore social conservatives. The GOP needs to be careful about going too far out on a limb on social issues if it wants to keep its support with independents.

Full Story from Public Policy Polling

Click here for gay wedding resources in North Carolina.

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Tags: amendment one, civil unions, north carolina, poll, public policy polling

Queensland, Australia: Does LNP Still Plan to Repeal Civil Unions?

Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

Confusion reigns over the fate of civil unions in Queensland after the release of Campbell Newman’s blueprint for his first 100 days of government.

The Liberal National Party (LNP) released the action plan several days before Saturday’s sweeping election victory.

Newman had previously promised he would “immediately” look at civil unions if the LNP were elected.
The document details action on the LNP’s 4 percent unemployment target, initiatives to lower the cost of living, establishing a Commission of Audit to assess the state’s finances, taking action on the Bruce Highway, establishing a ‘Mums and Bubs’ service, recruiting more police and removing Labor’s $7000 stamp duty.

Full Story from The Star Observer

Click here for gay wedding resources in Australia.

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Tags: australia, civil unions, lnp, queensland, repeal

Queensland, Australia: Repeal of Civil Unions Could Wind Up in Court

Sunday, March 25th, 2012

QUEENSLAND gay and lesbian community could seek legal action against the new Liberal National Party (LNP) government if it repeals civil union legislation.

Premier-elect Campbell Newman announced during the election campaign that he would consider repealing same-sex civil union laws introduced by Labor last year.

But Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays spokeswoman Shelley Argent said the gay and lesbian community would fight tooth and nail against any repeal.

Full Story from The Australian

Click here for gay wedding resources in Australia.

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Tags: australia, civil unions, court, lawsuit, queensland, repeal

Catholic Church Suddenly Supports Civil Unions

Wednesday, March 21st, 2012

For the first time ever, the Roman Catholic church is endorsing civil unions, in the second historic reversal in only two weeks.

The Roman Catholic church of New Hampshire suddenly endorsed civil unions on 19 March 2012, just 48 hours before a state legislature vote that has been pending for two years. That vote must be taken by tomorrow, or else the proposed legislation will die altogether. In an equally surprising move, on 4 March, the Roman Catholic church of Maine ceased all external opposition to this year’s full marriage equality ballot campaign in Maine.

Historically, Roman Catholic officials have opposed virtually every regulation, policy, and law proposed to protect LGBT people nationwide, including all proposals for civil unions. However, faced with the choice of either retaining New Hampshire’s full marriage law which was signed on 3 June 2009, or else repealing it and replacing it with civil unions instead, church officials decided – for the first time ever – to endorse civil unions for LGBT people.

Full Story from the San Diego LGBT Weekly

Click here for gay wedding resources in New Hampshire.

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Tags: catholic church, civil unions, new hampshire