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IL, USA: Sponsor of Marriage Equality Bill Thinks Passage Unlikely This Year

Monday, April 16th, 2012

Illinois Marriage EqualityDespite a push by gay lawmakers, the effort to legalize gay marriage in Illinois is unlikely to get off the ground this year, the chief sponsor of a marriage proposal said.

State Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) told the Chicago Sun-Times that reeling in Medicaid and pensions programs as well as approving an overall budget would take precedence during the homestretch of the General Assembly’s spring session.

“I never say never,” Harris quipped. “[But] I don’t think there will be a push before the end of this session.” His bill, HB 5170, would delete a provision outlawing marriage between individuals of the same sex.

Full Story from the Sun Times

Click here for gay wedding resources in Illinois.

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IL, USA: Marriage Equality Ban Effort Falls Short

Sunday, April 15th, 2012

Illinois Marriage Equality BanAn effort to put a non-binding referendum recommending that Illinois lawmakers ban gay marriage with a constitutional amendment has come up short.

Jim Finnegan, president of the conservative group Illinois Defense of Marriage Initiative, told the Chicago Sun-Times that he expects about 100,000 of the 500,000 signatures needed to put the issue on the November ballot to be collected by the end of the month.

In February, less than a year after the state approved a measure that recognizes gay and lesbian couples with civil unions, three openly gay lawmakers introduced a gay marriage bill.

Full Story from On Top Magazine

Click here for gay wedding resources in Illinois.

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

Thursday, April 5th, 2012

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

Wednesday, April 4th, 2012

Illinois Civil Unions in Lake CountyLake 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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IL, USA: Marriage Equality Could Bring Millions to State

Wednesday, March 28th, 2012

Illinois Marriage EqualityOpening marriage to same-sex couples in Illinois will have positive effects for 23,049 couples raising 7,662 children, according to a Williams Institute news release. Weddings by resident Illinois couples alone will generate between $39 and $72 million over 3 years.

As the Illinois legislature considers a bill to allow same-sex couples to marry, the Williams Institute, a leading research institute on sexual orientation and gender identity law and policy at the UCLA School of Law, released the following statistics and references to illustrate the potential impacts of the bill. The data below are based on Williams Institute analyses, with the source of the data analyzed, or supporting publication, following in parentheses.

SAME-SEX COUPLES AND THEIR FAMILIES:

There are an estimated 23,049 same-sex couples in Illinois. [Census 2010] An estimated 3,831 of the same-sex couples in Illinois are raising approximately 7,662 children. [Census 2010] Nationally, an estimated 1 10,000 same-sex couples are raising children, more than 200,000 children in total. [Census 2010]

Full Story from Windy City

Click here for gay wedding resources in Illinois.

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IL: Marriage Equality Push Met With Skepticism

Friday, February 24th, 2012

Illinois Marriage EqualityLess than a year since civil unions became legal in Illinois, a push to give same-sex couples the right to marry has emerged at the state Capitol with the support of high-profile public figures but also much skepticism that gay marriage will be approved this year.

The divisiveness of the issue was illustrated last week when Washington state’s governor signed gay marriage into law and New Jersey’s governor vetoed it. In Illinois, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and several statewide officials back gay marriage, but the topic is replete with potential political repercussions that many lawmakers want to avoid during an election year.

The conventional wisdom in Springfield is that lawmakers will first focus on winning March 20 primary contests as they run in new districts, and then attempt to pass a budget and escape the spring session taking as few controversial votes as possible.

Full Story from the Morris Daily Herald

Click here for gay wedding resources in Illinois.

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IL: Marriage Equality Push Begins in Earnest

Monday, February 20th, 2012

Illinois Marriage EqualityLess than a year since civil unions became legal in Illinois, a push to give same-sex couples the right to marry has emerged at the state Capitol with the support of high-profile public figures but also much skepticism that gay marriage will be approved this year.

The divisiveness of the issue was illustrated last week when Washington state’s governor signed gay marriage into law and New Jersey’s governor vetoed it. In Illinois, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and several statewide officials back gay marriage, but the topic is replete with potential political repercussions that many lawmakers want to avoid during an election year.

The conventional wisdom in Springfield is that lawmakers will first focus on winning March 20 primary contests as they run in new districts and then attempt to pass a budget and escape the spring session taking as few controversial votes as possible.

Full Story from the Chicago Tribune

Click here for gay wedding resources in Illinois.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook. We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.

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IL: Governor Quinn Comes Out in Support of Marriage Equality Bill

Friday, February 17th, 2012

Illinois Governor and Marriage EqualityIllinois Governor Pat Quinn on Wednesday said he will help build a majority for a proposed gay marriage bill.

Last week, openly gay Representatives Greg Harris, Deb Mell and Kelly Cassidy introduced a measure that seeks to make Illinois the eighth state to legalize gay marriage.

Quinn, who last year strongly backed efforts to approve a civil unions bill, was sounding less confident in his support for marriage equality when he told the AP earlier this week that he wanted to study the issues surrounding the bill before he makes a decision.

Full Story from On Top Magazine

Click here for gay wedding resources in Illinois.

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IL: Marriage Equality Bill Meets Opposition

Friday, February 17th, 2012

Illinois Marriage EqualityThe Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act was introduced last week by Illinois Reps. Greg Harris, D-13, Deborah Mell, D-40 and Kelly Cassidy, D-14 in the wake of the federal appeals court ruling that California’s Proposition 8, which prohibited same-sex marriage in the state, was unconstitutional. The act would legalize gay marriage; currently, only civil unions are allowed as of June 2011.

Along with California, Illinois has also had its share of battles in trying to allow same-sex marriage in the state. The most recent efforts have been lead by Harris, who has been the co-sponsor of the same-sex and civil union bills in the state of Illinois.

Excluding the Religious Freedom-Marriage Act, none of the House bills Harris introduced made it past the Rules Committee in the House. Harris said the main point of introducing these bills was to build awareness among his colleagues on the issue of same-sex marriage. Harris added a lot of work needs to be done in order for this new bill to gain some traction within districts across the state.

Full Story from the Daily Illini

Click here for gay wedding resources in Illinois.

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Featured Gay Friendly Wedding Vendor: Victor Oswald, Chicago, Illinois

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

Periodically we’ll feature one of our vendors here to let our readers know about some great people who can help you plan the perfect wedding.

Gay Friendly Wedding Vendors in Illinois

Victor Oswald, Chicago Wedding OfficiantI am a certified celebrant belonging to the Celebrant USA Foundation, as well as a wedding officiant. I both officiate and design personalized weddings, vow renewals, same-gender ceremonies, divorces, and end-of-life and pet tributes for people of all beliefs and values in the greater Chicago area.

Before I did so, I thoughtfully considered why I should become a Celebrant. It is because there are so many reasons to be thankful. So many people have touched my life, and I feel it is time to repay that kindness. Over the past years I have become a more socially conscious citizen, convinced, no matter what our beliefs, that we are all connected and truly “one” with the Universe.

See Victor’s Expanded Listing on Purple Unions Here

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