Oregon Civil Unions Bill Caught In New Dispute

[davidinalameda]

http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/08/080305oregon.htm

Partisan tensions reached a boiling point Tuesday night when the Republican majority in the Oregon House pushed through a rules change that Democrats charged was aimed at blocking any attempt to resurrect a civil unions bill for same-sex couples.

A civil unions measure to open up to same-sex couples hundreds of benefits only available to married couples has passed in the Democrat-run Senate (story), but has been stymied in the House by opposition from House Speaker Karen Minnis and other GOP leaders. (story)

Backers of the civil unions bill hadn't given up hope of using a procedural move to force a House debate on the issue, but that possibility was foreclosed when the House GOP leaders won adoption of a change in the chamber's operating rules.