(Carson City, Nevada) Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons (R) has thrown down the gauntlet on domestic partner legislation currently before the state Senate, saying  that if the bill reaches his desk he will veto it.

Gibbons said he did not think voters agreed with the bill either and noted that in California, voters approved a ballot question last November barring same-sex marriage.

Domestic partnerships are essentially the same thing, he said.

The bill, however, does not permit marriage, already barred in Nevada, although it does provide the same rights and obligations that married opposite-sex couples have under Nevada law.

The bill states domestic partners would have the “same rights, protections, benefits, responsibilities, obligations and duties” as traditionally married couples and be subject to the same divorce laws, such as those involving community property.

The bill also has been amended to state public sector employers would not be required to provide health care benefits to employees partners. It does not block similar benefits from being provided in the private sector.

It would allow same-sex couples to register their relationships with the secretary of state’s office.

The bill was written by Sen. David Parks, an openly gay Las Vegas Democrat.

Parks told the Review-Journal that he still is hopeful of getting the bill passed.

“I see the bill as only being on first base,” Parks said. “It has a long way to go before getting to the governor.”