Civil unions bill advances in Connecticut

Legislation that would allow same-sex civil unions in Connecticut survived an eleventh-hour committee vote Monday, which resulted in the bill's being sent to the full house of representatives. The house is expected to vote on the bill Wednesday. The senate passed the legislation 27-9 last week. Leaders in the house decided to ship the bill to the legislature's planning and development committee following the senate's vote because the committee oversees matters affecting municipalities. The measure would affect town clerks, who would have to distribute paperwork to couples seeking civil unions. The committee passed the bill 15-3. Republicans on the committee unsuccessfully attempted to amend the bill with language defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Republicans also failed to amend the bill to make civil unions available only to people age 18 and older. A provision in the bill would grant probate judges the ability to allow someone younger to get a civil union, as marriage law currently does.