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Oregon Senate Passes Gay Domestic Partnerships Bill

Action occurs despite state constitutional amendment prohibiting institution of “gay marriage”

By Hilary White

SALEM, Oregon, May 3, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Although Oregon has a constitutional amendment prohibiting the institution of “gay marriage,” the state Senate has passed a Domestic Partnerships bill that will allow homosexual partners to receive many of the same legal rights as those in a natural marriage.

On Wednesday, the Senate passed the Oregon Family Fairness Act by a margin of 9-21 with support from both Democrats and Republicans following a 90-minute debate. The bill will now be sent to the desk of Governor Ted Kulongoski for approval. Kulongoski, a Catholic and a Democrat, is a strong supporter of gay “marriage.”

The bill will include homosexual partners in marriage-like benefits relating to inheritance rights, child rearing and custody, joint tax filings, joint health, auto and homeowners insurance policies and visitation rights at hospitals.

Oregon’s leading homosexual activist group praised Kulongoski’s decades-long support for their cause saying, “As a movement, we are lucky to live in a state where the fact is our Governor has done more to stake out a public position in favor of GLBT equality and use the office to advocate for equality than any other Governor in the country--period.”

Governor Kulongoski has been campaigning on behalf of the homosexual political movement since 1978. In his first term as Governor, in 2005, he supported the unsuccessful Senate Bill 1000, that would have created civil unions for same-sex partners.

The current bill passed the State House of Representatives April 19th and its language was carefully crafted to avoid possible legal challenges based on the constitutional definition of marriage. Last month Oregon passed another bill that added “sexual orientation” to the list of specially protected minorities that church leaders warned would restrict the right of religious people to object to the homosexual lifestyle.

The Oregon development confirms the strategic importance of constitutional amendments adopted by some states prohibiting both same-sex “marriage” and civil unions types of arrangements.

Oregon Senate Bill to Impose Gay Agenda on Churches, Schools, Businesses
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/apr/07041006.html

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