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Vermont data show civil unions granted to 42 from IowaSame-sex couples from every U.S. state have officially become life partners in Vermont. By Frank Santiago, Des Moines from the Web, January 26, 2004 Des Moines, IA -- Civil unions, recognized in Vermont more than three years ago, have united gay couples from every U.S. state, including Iowa. Department of Health officials in Vermont, the only state that recognizes civil unions, say 20 couples from Iowa have been united since the law went into effect July 1, 2000. Not included are two civil unions in which one of the participants was an Iowan. Same-sex civil unions have become a hot-button issue in Iowa since Judge Jeffrey Neary in Sioux City granted a divorce in November to a Sioux City lesbian couple. They were joined in a civil union March 25, 2002, in Bolton, Vt. Neary issued the divorce despite the fact that Iowa doesn't recognize civil unions and bans same-sex marriages. The judge revised the decree later to say it ended their civil union, not a marriage. A group of conservative state lawmakers has asked the Iowa Supreme Court to throw out Neary's decree. The legislators contend the divorce was an attempt by civil union supporters to subvert existing marriage laws and open the way for same-sex marriages. The court hasn't indicated when it will rule. However, Timm Reid, a lawyer for the Iowa Liberty and Justice Center in Pleasant Hill, said he expected the justices to agree to review Neary's decree. "There has been no resistance, and I understand even Judge Neary wants the court to look at it. He said the courts need some direction here," Reid said. Neary has declined to comment. Rich McCoy, who collects data for the Vermont Department of Health, said 6,672 civil unions had been performed in the state. About 86 percent of them involved non-residents. He said two-thirds of the civil unions were between women. He said that the state granted 27 divorces to couples who had civil unions, but that the number was misleading. "We have no way of knowing if couples are still together after they have left the state," he said. "Other states don't dissolve civil unions, because they aren't recognized. I doubt if someone would come back to Vermont and establish residency just to have a civil union dissolved." As in traditional marriages, Vermont requires a six-month residency before a civil union divorce. (Emphasis added.)
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