Nevada Gov. to Veto DP Bill

By Julie Bolcer

Nevada governor Jim Gibbons has pledged to veto a bill passed by the legislature on Tuesday that would give same-sex domestic partners many of the same rights as married heterosexual couples.

Gibbons, a Republican, has up to five days to veto the bill. Both houses of the legislature are expected to override the veto.

A spokesperson for Gibbons told the Reno Gazette-Journal that the governor will oppose the bill on the grounds that it involves government in residents' personal lives, and because existing laws already provide adequate domestic contract options.

Nevada voters twice approved a constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, in 2000 and 2002. The domestic-partnership legislation specifies that the contracts are not marriages.

The new legislation would give domestic partners, including same-sex couples, the same rights as married couples in estate planning, medical decisions, community property, and child care if they enter into a civil contract and obtain a state registration.

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Name: Roger Burr
Date posted: 5/20/2009 10:37:00 PM
Hometown: Marble Hill, Mo

Comment:
Let me make sure I understand this.. This Governor heads a state with one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation; Las Vegas has the highest percentage of homes in foreclosure of ANY city, NATIONWIDE; he's getting a divorce because he can't keep his pecker in his pants; and he has the BALLS, no pun intended, to veto DP benefits. I agree with those who say boycott Nevada. The only language these people understand is MONEY. Hit them in the pocketbook and you'll get their attention! It has consistently worked in the past and will work, now.
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Name: S.G.
Date posted: 5/20/2009 4:55:00 PM
Hometown: Reno

Comment:
Its because if you know anything about our Governor he is going through a high profile divorce from the lovely Dawn Gibbons because he didn't know how to stay faithful. If our Executive doesn't support his own personal commitment to his significant other, why would we expect him to support ours.
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Name: Paul
Date posted: 5/20/2009 4:26:00 PM
Hometown: San Francisco

Comment:
A Republican who claims he wants to stay out of the personal lives of gay people--now that's hilarious! Thanks for nothing, Gov. Hypocrite.
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Name: Jay
Date posted: 5/20/2009 3:08:00 PM
Hometown: Nashville

Comment:
They can have gambling and prostitution, but legal rights for gays is out of the question? Whaaaattt? Does Vegas not want our money now? I can gamble elsewhere.
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Name: John Embry
Date posted: 5/20/2009 3:06:00 PM
Hometown: Forestville, CA

Comment:
Nevadians, get a new governor! Isn't it enough t hat the Vegas airport is named for one of history's worst senator? We're not going to spend a dime in the state. We've got enough problems with our own Shwartzengrabber. What an ass!
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Name: Mark
Date posted: 5/20/2009 1:43:00 PM
Hometown: Seattle

Comment:
I wonder if he opposes marriage for anyone "because it involves government in residents' personal lives". People shouldn't have to jump through hoops for these protections so "existing laws DON"T already provide adequate domestic contract options". He vetoes it like people are bored and just want this legislation, because they don't have anything else to do with their time. If it wasn't needed, this legislation woudn't be proposed. I'd listen to the gay community since it impacts them most. Jim Gibbons from the Party of No...
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Name: citybythebay
Date posted: 5/20/2009 12:59:00 PM
Hometown: san francisco

Comment:
Having grown up there, I can tell you Nevada is a very unusual place. There is a large mormon component of the population, but the state on a social level (at least when I was a child some years ago) was very fiercely libertarian. There's a reason they legalized gambling and gave counties the option to have legal bordello prostitution. And Nevada repealed it's sodomy laws by legislative act before Laurence & Garner v. Texas invalidated the remaining laws. I'll tell you this. If same-sex marriage ever becomes recognized in a significant number of states, and interstate recognition catches on, Nevada will have same-sex marriage so gay people can marry in Vegas. Till then. . .
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Name: mike
Date posted: 5/20/2009 12:44:00 PM
Hometown: cincinnati

Comment:
Boycott Las Vegas!!!! The media keeps saying they don't have enough business. Boycott Las Vegas!!! Even hateful bigots pay attention to money.
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Name: Casey Cameron
Date posted: 5/20/2009 12:38:00 PM
Hometown: Chicago

Comment:
Override the veto? That is very good news if Nevada can do that. Why are we struggling to get civil unions in Illinois? Is this another, "welcome to the midwest" moment?
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Name: Hannah
Date posted: 5/20/2009 12:31:00 PM
Hometown: Scotland

Comment:
"Adequate"'s the word. Not complete. Just, you know, it's enough. "Full" would have been a much nicer word, alongside, governor NOT going to veto bill. Come on, how is that a good grounds for a veto, it's the same grounds as always. Think of something new, be a bit more original.

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