The Human Rights Campaign praised Connecticut legislators
for passing a civil union bill that will offer all the state-level
rights and benefits of marriage to same-sex couples and their families.
"Connecticut has taken a significant step giving families the rights and
protections they need," said HRC President Joe Solmonese. "This is an
important law that will strengthen all families in Connecticut. Thanks
to the Legislature and Governor Jodi Rell, as well as Love Makes a
Family and thousands of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people
across the state, Connecticut families are significantly more protected
today than they were yesterday."
Solmonese continued, "This is a major step toward ensuring equality for
all families. The conversation about marriage and the rights and
protections only it provides will continue. As we are doing across the
country, we will continue to tell the stories of GLBT families in
Connecticut so that soon there will be no need for two lines at the town
clerk's office – one for GLBT families and one for everybody else. Today
we celebrate a great accomplishment. Tomorrow our work continues."
On April 7, 2005, Quinnipiac University released a poll showing 56
percent of Connecticut voters support civil unions and 46 percent
support marriage for same-sex couples. The measure passed the House
April 13 by an 85-63 vote, with an amendment that defines marriage to
exclude same-sex couples. The Senate passed the bill on April 6, 2005,
by a 27-9 vote, with six of the 12 Republican Senators voting for the
measure.
"Without their commitment to full equality – marriage equality – the
Legislature might have viewed civil unions as an end product," said Love
Makes a Family President Anne Stanback in a statement. "But today, there
isn't anyone in the state of Connecticut who believes that this
conversation is over. In fact, nearly everyone, on both sides of this
debate, acknowledges that the conversation about marriage equality will
continue."
Vermont has a similar civil unions law. California, with their
comprehensive domestic partnership law, grants almost all the
state-level rights, benefits and protections granted to opposite-sex
couples. Three other states – Hawaii, New Jersey and Maine – recognize
same-sex relationships and offer them handful of rights. Maryland's
Legislature recently passed a similar domestic partner bill. Only
Massachusetts gives same-sex couples the full right to marriage.
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