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Nevada passes domestic partnership law
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Recently, what has been referred to as the Domestic Partnership Bill or SB283 was passed in Nevada. This bill recognized the rights of all people to register as domestic partners and receive essentially all the rights and responsibilities provided to spouses under state law. This is to include homosexual and heterosexual couples. Beginning October 1, 2009 any couple will be able to pay a small fee and register as partners.
Although many around the country and in Las Vegas feel government has no right to be regulating marriage or relationships between consenting adults, obviously government is involved and Las Vegans are happy that the bill finally passed. Many feel with the countries divorce rate over 50% marriage is no longer a sacred union and many are deciding not to make that commitment, yet continue to live together. What happens when that relationship ends was the concern of many. This bill covers those questions with answers allowing the couples to seek community property, equal debt responsibility, and even alimony. Many of the Assembly members were outspoken about this bill.
Senator David Parks sponsored the bill and is quoted " I'm immensely pleased that the veto of the governor has been overridden," said state Sen. David Parks, the sponsor of the bill. "It's a great day for fairness and equality in Nevada."
Assembly woman Sheila Leslie made a speech to the Assembly stating "This is the most important civil rights legislation we've had in all my years in the Legislature," Leslie said. "It is an issue of fairness for our citizens."
With so many people benefiting from this bill from the elderly to the young, the gay to the straight, it is not a wonder that so many would stand in support to pass this bill. The Senate was flooded with people and petitions to pass this bill and once it was vetoed even more pressure was sent their way.
One surprising supporter was Harrah's Entertainment whom are the owners of several casinos in Las Vegas and around the country and abroad. Harrah's lobbied legislators to reject the veto and was present throughout the process. Lobbyists from Wynn Resorts and MGM Mirage were also strongly involved through the process.
Jan Jones. former Las Vegas mayor, and now Harrah's senior vice president of communications and government relations said "From a personal standpoint our leadership thought this was the right thing to do, from a tourism perspective, we do a lot of marketing to the gay, lesbian and trans-gender market, and how effective would it be to say, ‘Give us your money, but we don’t believe in your rights’ ?”
Again this bill supports the rights of both heterosexual as well as homosexuals to have a union. The next bill Las Vegans are watching is SB207 which will make it illegal to discriminate against gays and lesbians in public accommodations. You can view some video of Jan Jones on Face to Face, with Jon Ralston here:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/jun/05/couples-bill-anatomy-override/
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