The state of gay rights, such as it is, is terribly confusing these days, isn't it?
Gay rights proponents score wins in the House of Delegates (HamptonRoads.com/Pilot Online): Gay rights proponents scored political victories today in the conservative-leaning House of Delegates, which last week passed a bill reaffirming the state's ban on gay marriage. The House narrowly passed legislation that would give health insurance benefits to gay partners if they live together, but rejected a measure seeking to make state mortgage loans available only to married heterosexuals or blood relatives. The health insurance bill, sponsored by Republican Del. James Dillard of Fairfax County, passed 50-49 with the support of numerous Republicans. The same legislation failed last year in committee. Del. Richard Black's bill to exclude same-sex and unmarried couples from Virginia Housing Development Authority loans failed to advance on a vote of 54-44. The state used to require borrowers to be married or related by blood before the VHDA repealed the measure last year.
So basically, Virginia's House of Representatives has said (and yes, I'm paraphrasing), "We don't like you. We REALLY don't like you. We just want you to be clear on that fact. At the same time, we maybe don't think that you should get sick or not have some place to live if you're poor." Really, nicely schizophrenic response ... albeit rather typical, these days.
I guess these bills must be headed to the Virginia Senate, and then the governor. It'll be interesting to see if they survive the trip.
Posted by iain at February 16, 2004 04:40 PM
