Maryland governor Martin O’Malley signed two bills this week granting gay and lesbian couples tax benefits as well as hospital visitation rights, according to The Washington Times. The governor, a Democrat, said his support of these measures was, in part, in response to the lack of a civil union statute in the state.
"Without the ability to have the legal protections that, say, a civil unions statute would give, then these other bills will, I suspect, continue to come through the legislature and continue to be approved by the legislature," he said in the article.
The bills are an effort to give committed but unmarried couples some of the legal benefits and rights typically granted to married couples. For gay and straight couples who are unmarried, such legal benefits can offer some financial and personal security in the event of a partner’s illness or death.
One bill grants hospital visitation and the right to make certain medical decisions, provided that the couple has documentation (such as shared property or bank accounts) as proof of their committed relationship.
The second bill “exempts domestic partners from paying property transfer taxes when one person dies.”
Sen. Rob Garagiola of Maryland commented on the bills, calling them “a huge step in the right direction.” (The Advocate)
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