Oregon Gov. Signs
Domestic Partner Bill
By AP from the
NYTimes on the Web, May 10, 2007
SALEM, Ore. -- Oregon on
Wednesday joined a growing list of states prepared to offer gay couples at least
some of the benefits of marriage.
Gov. Ted Kulongoski signed legislation creating ''domestic partnerships'' for
gays and lesbians in the state starting Jan. 1. He also signed a bill
that outlaws discrimination based on sexual orientation, effective the same
date.
Kulongoski, a strong backer of both measures, said they would ''transform our
state from one of exclusion to one of complete inclusion.'' The measures
had been attempted before but were always blocked by the Legislature until this
year.
Opponents of the two bills said they planned to launch a signature-gathering
campaign next week to try to refer both measures to the November 2008 ballot.
The domestic partnership law will enable same-sex couples to enter into
contractual relationships that carry many of the benefits offered to married
couples. The other law will ban discrimination against gays, lesbians,
bisexuals and transgendered people in employment, housing and access to public
accommodations.
So far, only Massachusetts allows gay couples to marry. Vermont,
Connecticut, California, New Jersey, Maine and Washington have laws allowing
either civil unions or domestic partnerships, and Hawaii extends certain spousal
rights to same-sex couples and cohabiting heterosexual pairs. The New
Hampshire Legislature also recently approved a civil unions measure that Gov.
John Lynch has said he will sign.
(Emphasis added.)
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