Dallas Voice (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 22, No. 36, Ed. 1 Friday, January 20, 2006 Page: 25 of 68
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inalnews
sexuals as essentially the same, then you're open-
ing the door to requiring that you treat homosex-
ual couples the same as heterosexual couples and
you're unable to deny them the privilege of mar-
riage."
Murray said these type of groups are attempt-
ing to confuse the issue.
"Laws governing employment have nothing to
do with laws governing marriage," he said.
The bill, with the backing of Governor
Christine Gregoire, is expected to pass the
House, where it passed last year on a 61-37 vote,
with six Republicans joining 55 Democrats.
Finkbeiner's switch all but assures its passage
in the Senate, where it was previously defeated
after two Democrats, Jim Hargrove of Hoquiam
and Tim Sheldon of Potlatch, joined 23
Republicans in defeating the bill 25-24.
Sheldon and Hargrove have said they have no
plans to change their vote.
Fuiten and others, including the Rev. Ken
Hutcherson, pastor of Antioch Bible Church in
Redmond, said they will pressure other
Democrats to switch their vote to no, though
Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, a Democrat,
insists the rest of the caucus is firm in its support.
Senator Marilyn Rasmussen, a Democrat, who
represents a rural, more conservative district, has
opposed the measure in the past, but voted for the
bill last year.
Hutcherson, who has organized anti-gay-mar-
riage rallies in Seattle and Washington, D.C., was
at the middle of the Microsoft controversy last
year on the gay rights issue. He says he pressured
Microsoft into dropping its support of the meas-
ure last year by threatening a boycott; the compa-
ny insists its decision came before a meeting with
him.
Microsoft spokesman Lou Gellos wouldn't
talk about the company's prior position.
Hutcherson, who lives in Finkbeiner's district,
suggested the issue would haunt Finkbeiner in his
re-election bid come November.
"Who knows if he'll even run again when this
is all over," he said.
Finkbeiner acknowledged that this is probably
going to be one of his highest-profile votes.
"Every morning I have to get up and live with
myself," he said. "If I'm not feeling good about
what I'm doing, that's a much higher price than
getting elected or not elected."
Murray, one of four openly gay members of
the Legislature, said he fears the strong feelings
on both sides could complicate things once the
measure gets to the Senate floor.
"The struggle is not over," Murray said. "Until
the lieutenant governor declares the bill passed, I
won't stop working to try and pass it."
2 Colorado legislation* seek to
place civil unions on ballot
Measure proposed by Democrats would require two-thirds vote in each
house to be placed on ballot; Governor Owens' signature not needed
By Steven K. Paulson Associated Press
DENVER — Two leading Democrats said
Monday they want to ask Colorado voters to
decide whether the state should legalize domestic
partnerships for same-sex couples, calling it a
legal issue, not a debate over traditional marriage
values.
"There will be a social, ideological debate on
all sides of this issue. We're trying to address the
middle of the road, the logical, legal arguments
that need to be addressed," said Senator Tom
Plant, who said he will sponsor the measure with
Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald.
The referred measure would need a two-tbirds
vote in each house to get on the November ballot,
and it would not require the signature of
Republican Governor Bill Owens.
The measure would give same-sex couples the
right to visitation and to be involved in the care of
hospital patients and nursing home residents, pro-
tection of property rights, including inheritance
and pension benefits, access to a partner's health
care benefits and family leave benefits, and the
right to take possession of a deceased partner's
remains.
Representative Kevin Lundberg, a
Republican, said he expected Democrats to try
this year after they rejected his proposal last year
to ask voters to ban legal recognition of gay mar-
riage. "I wanted to bring this issue to the people
of Colorado last year, asking if we should define
marriage as it has been defined for centuries, or
do we change it."
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01.20.06 I dallas voice I 25
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Vercher, Dennis. Dallas Voice (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 22, No. 36, Ed. 1 Friday, January 20, 2006, newspaper, January 20, 2006; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth238892/m1/25/: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.