Effort To Ban Gay Marriage In Iowa Fails:
State Senator Jeff Danielson, a Democrat from Waterloo, told the The Gazette on Thursday that there isn't sufficient support for the measure in the Senate State Government Committee that he chairs to move it to the Senate, and that the resolution will likely fall victim to an impending April 1 deadline.
"We do not have the votes for that in State Government so that will not survive the funnel,” Danielson said.
The Legislature's self-imposed “funnel” rule says policy bills must pass either the House or Senate and a committee of the other chamber to remain viable for the remainder of the legislative session.
The Iowa House approved the resolution with an overwhelming 62 to 37 vote on Tuesday, February 1.
Even if the legislation had cleared the committee, Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal has vowed to block the measure from reaching the floor.
Effort To Outlaw Gay Protections Laws In Montana Fizzles:
Republican Representative Kristin Hansen's bill sought to prohibit local governments from enacting laws banning discrimination beyond those classifications listed in the state's Human Rights Act, which does not include sexual orientation or gender identity.
The bill's target was Missoula, the state's second largest city, which approved such an ordinance last year.
The measure enjoyed overwhelming support in the House, where sixty GOP members united to overcome the objections of 32 Democrats and 7 Republicans in approving the legislation earlier this month.
Senator Jon Sonju told the AP that the bill has been returned to the Local Government Committee he chairs. The bill cleared the committee last week.
Sonju said the measure was shelved because it does not have the support of Senate leaders.
Civil Unions Bill Clears Colorado Senate:
The Colorado Senate on Thursday approved a bill that would recognize gay and lesbian couples with civil unions, the AP reported.
The final 23 to 12 tally wasn't a surprise. Senators twice approved Senator Pat Steadman's bill with a voice vote on Wednesday.
Surprising were the actions of three Republicans who crossed the aisle to support the measure, which wasn't even in need of their assistance.
Republican Senators Jean White, Nancy Spence and Ellen Roberts backed the bill.
During Wednesday's debate, Steadman, who is openly gay, told colleagues that the bill was essential for ensuring “very basic, but very important legal protections … that no family should be without.”
The measure now moves to the House, where Democratic Representative Mark Ferrandino will carry the bill.
Uganda's David Bahati Remains Defiant As Lawmakers Table His Anti-Gay Bill:
Bahati is the author and primary sponsor of a controversial bill that would increase the penalties for being gay in a nation where it is already a crime. Bahati's bill proposes putting repeat offenders to death under certain circumstances.
The measure, however, might have proved too controversial.
President Yoweri Museveni has called the legislation redundant and unnecessary, according to recent comments made by Information Minister Masiko Kabakumba.
Delaware Gay Unions Bill Introduced:
A bill that would give gay and lesbian couples many of the benefits and responsibilities of marriage has been introduced in Delaware.
Democratic Senator Dave Sokola introduced his civil unions bill at an event held outside Legislative Hall on Tuesday.
The gay rights group Equality Delaware (EQDE) helped lawmakers draft the legislation.
“EQDE is proud to have worked with the sponsors of this bill to get to today,” Lisa Goodman, the group's president, said in a statement. “We believe that the time has come in Delaware for civil unions and that this bill will become law this year.”
WA: Anti-gay state senator Dan Swecker approves pro-gay bill:
One of Washington state's most ardent anti-gay legislators quietly gave his nod of approval on Tuesday to the out-of-state marriage recognition bill (HB 1649). While lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Washingtonians and their supporters were celebrating Equality Day 2011 on the steps of the state Capitol, Senator Dan Swecker (R-Rochester) voted with the Democratic majority of the Senate Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections Committee to send HB 1649 to the Senate floor for a vote.
HB 1649 is a simple reciprocity bill that would "recognize as a valid domestic partnership in Washington state a legal union of two persons, including a marriage, that was validly formed in another jurisdiction and that is substantially equivalent to a Washington state-registered domestic partnership."
h/t
jpmassar
Maryland's gender anti-discrimination bill passes House committee vote:
Maryland's gender anti-discrimination bill HB 235 was successfully voted out of the House Health & Government Operations Committee by a vote of 15-8. Next stop, debate on the floor of the House of Delegates. The bill must be approved by the House by midnight on Monday, March 28th to remain eligible for Senate consideration and final approval.
h/t
jpmassar