Delaware Adopts Civil Unions

While legislative battles over marriage equality rage in states such as Minnesota and New York, Delaware achieved significant victory for equality on Wednesday, as Gov. Jack Markell signed into law a bill that grants civil unions for same-sex couples.

The bill, which passed the state house and senate by wide margins last month, was signed into law at the Queen Theater in Wilmington in a ceremony attended by more than 600 people, according to the Associated Press. The law will take effect on January 1, 2012.

During an event organized by Equality Delaware, Gov. Markell said the bill would right the wrongs of past discriminatory laws that "lessen any one of us," according to the AP.

Delaware becomes the eighth U.S. state to recognize civil unions or broad domestic partnerships. Another five -- Iowa, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont, and Massachusetts -- have full marriage equality.