Conn. Lawmakers Make Gay Marriage Official

State Legislature Votes Overwhelmingly To Bring Law In Line With Court Ruling Allowing Same Sex Nuptials

(AP)  A decade-long battle for marriage equality in Connecticut ended late Wednesday when the General Assembly voted to update the state's marriage laws to conform with a landmark court ruling allowing gay and lesbian couples to tie the knot.

"It feels so good. It really does feel like the book is closing," said Anne Stanback, president of Love Makes a Family, a gay-rights group that has led the fight for same-sex marriage in the state.

A spokesman for Gov. M. Jodi Rell said she will sign the bill, which passed 28-7 in the Senate and 100-44 in the House of Representatives, into law. While Rell, a Republican, signed the state's 2005 civil unions law, she has said she believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman.

The bill comes six months after the State Supreme Court ruled 4-3 that same-sex couples have the right to wed in Connecticut, rather than accept the civil union law designed to give them the same rights as married couples.

It redefines marriage in Connecticut as the legal union of two people. State law previously defined marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

Even if the bill hadn't passed, same-sex marriage would still be the law in Connecticut because of the court ruling. Proponents say the legislation is needed to phase out civil unions and make sure same-sex couples conform to the state's marriage laws.

Three other states - Massachusetts, Vermont and Iowa - also allow gay marriage.

The Connecticut bill transforms civil unions into marriages as of Oct. 1, 2010, unless they've been annulled or dissolved. Many couples with civil unions already have sought marriage licenses since the court decision.

In an effort to appease some gay marriage foes, lawmakers amended the bill to show they want to protect religious liberties. For example, it says religious organizations and associations are not required to provide services, goods or facilities for same-sex wedding ceremonies.

"We wanted to make it completely clear that the state of Connecticut fully embraces not only the rights of same-sex couples to marry, but we fully embrace the rights and protections afforded by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and the Connecticut Constitution to the free exercise of religion," said Sen. Andrew McDonald, D-Stamford, a gay marriage proponent.

Peter Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut, which opposes gay marriage, considered the amendment "a significant improvement" because the original bill did not include any protections for religious groups such as the Knights of Columbus, which often rents out halls for weddings.

"It made a bad bill better," he said.

Carol Gignac, a 62-year-old Roman Catholic from Bristol, clutched her rosary beads as she watched Wednesday's debate from the Senate gallery. She said she was praying during much of the day for God's mercy on Connecticut.

While resigned to the fact that gay marriage is now the law, Gignac said it bothers her that the court made that decision.

"The sad day was the state Supreme Court changing the thousands-of-years definition of marriage as between one man and one woman, across cultures, across times," said Gignac, who wore a sticker on her lapel that read: "Religious Liberty: Our Freedom First."

Rep. Beth Bye, a West Hartford Democrat who is openly gay and recently married her partner, thanked her colleagues for supporting the bill.

"I'm grateful that this bill provides the respect and dignity that all marriages in Connecticut deserve," said Bye, who received hugs of congratulations after the final tally.

Wednesday's bill also strips language from a 1991 state anti-discrimination law that says Connecticut does not condone "homosexuality or bisexuality or any equivalent lifestyle," require the teaching of homosexuality or bisexuality "as an acceptable lifestyle," set quotas for hiring gay workers or authorize recognition of same-sex marriage.

McDonald, who is openly gay, said the language is outdated and offensive to gays, lesbians and bisexuals.

[kansas1946]

God bless Connecticut. The sun is finally beginning to shine of gay families. A lot of work still to be done though.

[slownewsday05]

He's not offensive to my God. Thank God your God isn't the only one people believe in.
Posted by slownewsday05

Petty people will find comfort in a petty god
Posted by honestabe8 at 11:12 AM : Apr 24, 2009
*****************************************************
Thank God your God is not the one true Christ.
Posted by blog_fever2


Christ is dead. And if you think he isn't, well, I don't believe in zombies.

Nice of you to be so close-minded as to think you are the only one who is right.

Go fish.

[honestabe8]

Thank God your God is not the one true Christ.
Posted by blog_fever2

Ah, the TRUE Christ, as opposed to what, the false one? I have no need for your holy pincushion mythology

[blog_fever2]

He's not offensive to my God. Thank God your God isn't the only one people believe in.
Posted by slownewsday05

Petty people will find comfort in a petty god
Posted by honestabe8 at 11:12 AM : Apr 24, 2009
*****************************************************
Thank God your God is not the one true Christ.

[honestabe8]

He's not offensive to my God. Thank God your God isn't the only one people believe in.
Posted by slownewsday05

Petty people will find comfort in a petty god

[slownewsday05]

This guy MacDonald should maybe consider how offensive he and others are to God. There is truly NO moral compass in the US anymore. I am frightened for our future.
Posted by Stuart2560

He's not offensive to my God. Thank God your God isn't the only one people believe in.

[rave_on3]

This guy MacDonald should maybe consider how offensive he and others are to God. There is truly NO moral compass in the US anymore. I am frightened for our future.
Posted by Stuart2560 at 6:21 AM : Apr 24, 2009

You're assuming that there ever was a moral compass. Go back and research the bacchanalia our founding fathers participated in. Bunch of drunken, womanizing louts.

[slownewsday05]

True salvation requires God to act, religion only requires us to act.

I hope that helps you. I must apologize that I have been writng all day and am somewhat tired now. But if you need more you can always e-mail me at [e-mail]. I will gladly respond as I am able to.

God Bless you, your family, and the world.
Posted by Stuart2560

Thanks, Stuart. It appears to be what I was thinking - you are talking ideals, and I am talking reality.

I understand that your religion says that what man makes isn't up to what God makes, and that religion itself isn't sufficient. I didn't see any argument in there for throwing out the term all together.

I posit that the distinction you see is not one generally recognized. If you use Jesus and the Bible and mention God as part of your dogma (and remember that you said yesterday that you feel lack of dogma isn't worth anything), that is the definition of "religious" that the general public recognizes.

In other words, you may not feel that the label fits, but your reasons for that are based in your religion - which makes you religious. The dogma is the part which damns you into the definition you so abhor. You'd have to drop all references to religious beliefs to escape it.

Thanks for the explanation!

[honestabe8]

Apparently, everything is offensive to "God". Seems a bit like Fred Phelps on steroids.

[honestabe8]

Nothing like deriving your moral compass via stories written by bronze age sheepherders.

[honestabe8]

This guy MacDonald should maybe consider how offensive he and others are to God. There is truly NO moral compass in the US anymore. I am frightened for our future.
Posted by Stuart2560

Yet you have no problem speaking for God.

[honestabe8]

Ten years from now we will criminalize anyone who speaks out against homosexuality, by labeling the crime as a hate crime. Child sodomy will also be decriminalized.
Posted by fdx22

"the sky is falling, the sky is falling"

[sero5]

Not sure about child sodomy, but speaking out against homosexuality is definitely a crime. Arrest all those Roman Catholic priests and have them hung for bigotry.

[fdx22]

Ten years from now we will criminalize anyone who speaks out against homosexuality, by labeling the crime as a hate crime. Child sodomy will also be decriminalized.

[slownewsday05]

No less result will find the support and appeal of Americas citizens. It is every Americans duty to put aside partisan squabbles, and give of themselves every effort to accomplish this noble task which has been handed down to us through generations of men and women who bravely gave up their own lives to defend and preserve the Constitution of the United States of America.

Posted by Stuart2560

Agreed, Stuart. I understand from other days that you are also a Libertarian, which I applaud.

Since the room has quieted down, I would greatly appreciate your insight as to why you find the term "religious" so offensive in describing yourself. I understand the ideal, but it clashes with the reality.

Any insight you'd like to share would be appreciated. I've run into this before, and it just doesn't make sense to me. I consider myself religious without including any dogma - really would like to know your motive, as it's the only way I see that I will have a chance of understanding your objective.

Thanks!

[slownewsday05]

I like the smile and relax part. But I'm watching the stupid news. I gettin' to the point I don't want to see it anymore. lol
Posted by Stuart2560

I try not to too much. Had to turn it off for a couple of months after the election. Would be nice if they occasionally reported some happy news, and not just in the leisure or entertainment sections, eh?

[slownewsday05]

Well, we all are here....!

Nice just to relax and smile a bit, eh?

[slownewsday05]

I am here!
Posted by Stuart2560 at 3:29 PM : Apr 23, 2009


... -'- -----, get used to it.
Posted by rave_on3


I could have sworn he was going to say that next... LOL!!

[rave_on3]

I am here!
Posted by Stuart2560 at 3:29 PM : Apr 23, 2009


... -'- -----, get used to it.

[slownewsday05]

You don't have to answer this, we know if you dispute this, you will know that this is the state that you are in.
Posted by coronalu at 2:18 PM ........

Okay, now you are beginning to irritate me. I have been sensitive, courteous and cogent of my beliefs throughout my responses to you. You have now become disrepectful by continuing to drone on like some cult captive without regard to my beliefs or my words. Of which I will point out, you know nothing of and didn't even ask. Instead you chose to assume and respond in a belittling fashion as if I were in need of your education.

You speak, yet you cannot hear. This is precisely the behavior that causes others to feel antagonostic towards people such as yourself. You are arrogant and self -centered despite your claims to the contrary. I have no big hole in my life and it is interesting how you project.

You project your own inadequacies on others.
Posted by IrishWench01


Nicely put, Irish!