News
2006-02-07
Gay New York
couples get rights over partner's remains
A bill signed by
New York's Republican governor on Friday gives domestic
partners the right to make burial decisions.
New York's
Republican governor, George Pataki, signed a bill on Friday
allowing same-sex domestic partners to decide on the
handling of their partner’s remains. The new
law puts important burial decisions in the hands of
common-law spouses instead of surviving children or parents.
“This is the first time in New York State law
same-sex relationships have been given priority over a
blood relative,” said Alan Van Capelle,
executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, New
York’s civil rights organization. “This
is a victory for our families.”
After losing her
partner to cancer in 2004, Terry Checksfield of Phoenix,
N.Y., had to endure the partner’s estranged family
taking her body away. “I am so thankful our
government has finally done something about this,”
Checksfield said about the legislation. “After I lost
Barbara, I wasn’t allowed to go the funeral and
still can’t visit her grave. No one should ever
have to go through what I went through. Now no one
will.”
The bill,
applying to opposite-sex domestic partners as well, breezed
through the Republican-led state senate 58–0 and
cleared the Democratic-led assembly 94–25.
(Advocate.com)
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