|
(Washington) The District of Columbia
Council will vote this week on expanding domestic partner laws but one councilor is
considering a competing bill that would permit same-sex marriage in the
District.
The domestic partner measure, authored by council member-at-large
Phil Mendelson (D) has widespread support but granting full marriage has divided
even the district's gay community.
Civil unions would give same-sex and unmarried
opposite-sex partners some of the broadest domestic partner rights in the
country, including joint powers of attorney, tax benefits similar to those
enjoyed by married couples, the right sue for negligence in the treatment or
death of a partner and immunity for partners from testifying against one another.
It also would provide for breakups including the
right to alimony.
The bill is scheduled for a vote on Wednesday.
DC already offers same-sex couples some rights.
In 1992 the district passed a
law recognizing domestic partnerships that provides the power to make medical
decisions.
One provision allowed the same-sex partners of
district workers to receive health care benefits. Congress blocked funding
needed to implement the law for a decade. It finally received approval in 2002.
The new bill has divided the council's two openly
gay members.
Independent Councilor-at large David A. Catania
supports the measure. But Jim Graham (D) tells the Washington Post that he is "seriously
considering" introducing a bill to legalize gay marriage.
Graham tells the paper that his only hesitation
is a division within the gay community over concerns a marriage bill would be
vetoed by Congress and set in motion a national rightwing firestorm.
"Not doing what you believe in is a very uneasy feeling,"
Graham told the Post.
Catania warns that "If
the District trots out too far, we become a cause celebre for Congress to
whip on." A better strategy, he told the Post is to "try to make
sustainable advances instead of ideal advances."
Catania once the GOP's top fundraiser in the
District, quit the Republican party in 2004 over its attacks on gays. (story)
Council on Wednesday also will consider
legislation that would make permanent the mayor's office
of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender affairs, requiring future
administrations to maintain the department.
©365Gay.com 2006
|
Entertainment
