Oregon Senate OKs bill granting domestic partnerships for same-sex couples
STEVE LAW, Salem, Oregan, Statesman Journal
Oregon will become the seventh state to grant same-sex couples full marriage-style benefits allowed by state law, after the Oregon Senate approved a landmark “domestic partnerships” bill today.
Senators voted 21-9 to approve House Bill 2007-A, with two Republicans joining all the chamber’s Democrats and one independent in support. Gov. Ted Kulongoski vows to sign the bill into law.
Passage of HB 2007-A, coupled with earlier approval of a bill banning discrimination based on sexual orientation, marks a dramatic turnaround for gay rights in Oregon. It comes 2Πyears after Oregonians banned gay marriage at the ballot box when they passed Measure 36.
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