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What's Happening in the CT Legislature on LGBT Equality
The Marriage Codification Bill (SB 899) passes in the CT Legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support! Gov. Rell swiftly signs the bill into law!
The bill codifies the Connecticut Supreme Court marriage equality ruling in the Kerrigan case into state statute. It also clarifies areas that the court did not address, such as the status of civil unions now that marriage is legal. Under this bill, civil unions will merge into marriages on October 1, 2010. Couples in civil unions can get married at any time, but unless they dissolve or annul their civil union before October 1, 2010, the state will recognize them as married. The date of their marriage will reflect the date of their earlier civil union.
TIMELINE FOR THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL:
On March 30th, the Judiciary Committee passed the marriage codification bill (SB 899) by strong bipartisan vote of 30-10. Click here for the vote count
A long debate occurred over an amendment that would have allowed religious groups to be exempt from following the new marriage equality law. Proposed by Rep. Bruce Morris, it was defeated 20-16. We have fundamental religious freedom and the Kerrigan decision has not changed that. This amendment was unnecessary.
Click here for the vote count
A second amendment would have allowed justices of the peace, judges, and other state actors to discriminate against same-sex couples by not marrying them, and was offered by Rep. Minnie Gonzalez. This was plainly unconstitutional, and was rejected by a vote of 31-8.
Click here to for the vote count
Athird amendment by Sen. McLachlan proposed to keep demeaning anti-gay language in state statutes was soundly defeated by a vote of 32-8.
Click here to for the vote count
On April 22nd the bill passed the Senate by a vote of 28-7 and passed in the House 100-44. Click for vote count in the Senate and in the House
Read the bill here
Fact Sheet on Marriage Codification Bill
See the photos from the historic Senate vote
Read the Public Hearing Testimony in Support of SB 899 (March 6, 2009):
Anne Stanback, Love Makes a Family
Ally Sega
Beverly Tremper Prager
CT Regional Office Anti-Defamation League
Attorney Bennett Klein of Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders
James Hanley
Rev. Joshua Mason Pawelek
Lambda Legal, Thomas W. Ude, Jr.
Attorney Maureen M. Murphy
Obadiah Ballinger and Javen Swanson
Rep. Beth Bye, 19th
Sharron Emmons and Mary Roche
Beth Kerrigan and Joanne Mock
Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities
CT Sexual Assault Crisis Services
PFLAG
Janet Peck and Carol Conklin
Minh Leu
Permanent Commission on the Status of Women
EnsuringTransgender Equality
Love Makes a Family is part of the state Anti-Discrimination Coalition, the group that worked to add Gender Identity and Expression to the state Hate Crimes Law in 2004 and who is now trying for the fourth year in a row to add Gender Identity and Expression to state anti-discrimination statutes.
This bill clarifies in statute what the Connecticut CHRO already recognizes: that it is discrimination to deny a person a job or housing simply because of their gender identity or expression. Thirteen other states already have such protections for transgender individuals in place, as do many of Connecticut’s major employers including Aetna, Pitney Bowes, The Hartford and Yale University.
Learn more about transgender issues
Read the Public Hearning Testimony in Support of Anti-Discrimination Legislation (3/19/09):
Love Makes a Family, Anne Stanback
Alberto Cifuentes, Jr.
Antonia Loconte
Charlie Ortiz
Classical Magnet School GSA
CT Bar Association, Alix Simonetti
CT TransAdvocacy Coalition, Jerimarie Liesegang
Dalia Nicole Panke
Deja Nicole Greenlaw
Elaine Warren
John Doe
Katie Hearn
New London Public Schools, Christopher P. Clouet
Permanent Commission on the Status of Women
Rachel Goldberg
Sally Tamarkin
Victoria Hively
American Civil Liberties Union of CT, David McGuire
Brianna Johnston
City of Stamford, Dannel P. Malloy, Mayor
CT Anti-Defamation League, David Waren
CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Robin Kraemer
CT Sexual Assault Crisis Services, Elizabeth Cafarella
CT Women’s Education and Legal Fund, Amy Miller
Diana Lombardi
Evan Stark
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, Jennifer L. Levi
Glenn Koetzner and Monica Connor
Gloria Long
Janet Peck
Rev. Joshua Mason Pawelek
Dr. Laura Saunders
Michelle Hansen
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Pat Comerford
Planned Parenthood of CT, Gretchen Raffa
Stephanie M. Marnin
True Colors, Robin McHaelen
Virginia and Emile Levasseur
Human Rights Campaign, Ally Robinson
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