Equally Speaking
The following is a transcript of HRC’s morning news webcast "Equally Speaking." To view the current videos visit the main Equally Speaking page.
Good morning and thanks for tuning in to Equally Speaking, your morning dose of LGBT news from the Human Rights Campaign for Tuesday, February 10th. I’m Jon Monteith.
And I’m Sarah Birnie. First up, news from New Jersey.
Last week a New Jersey judge ruled that marriages of gay and lesbian couples performed outside the state are recognized in the state for the purpose of divorce. The case in question involved a lesbian couple married in Canada, but could not be granted a Canadian divorce because they are not residents of the country. New Jersey currently allows gay and lesbian couples to enter into civil unions, but not marriages.
A South Carolina state legislator introduced a bill that would allow gay and lesbian couples in the state to enter into civil unions. State Senator Robert Ford’s legislation, if enacted, would grant civilly united couples all the benefits, privileges, rights and responsibilities of marriage. South Carolina voters overwhelmingly passed a state Constitutional amendment making marriage between one man and one woman the only legal domestic union in November 2006.
The Kansas Army National Guard has discharged its first gay soldier under the federal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Amy Brian, who served nine years in the Guard, including a stint in Iraq, was investigated and “separated” last month after a civilian co-worker told authorities they had seen her kissing a woman in a Wal-Mart checkout line. Brian joins almost 12,500 other lesbian, gay and bisexual service members discharged from 1994 to 2007.
Phoenix, Arizona unveiled its domestic partnership registry yesterday for gay and lesbian as well as unmarried opposite-sex couples. The registry grants the right to visitation with a domestic partner in any health-care facility in Phoenix. Registration also could be used to demonstrate a domestic partnership to employers or others who offer benefits to employees. Couples will be charged 50 dollars to register.
The second piece of Utah’s Common Ground Initiative package of legislation has died. State Representative Jackie Biskupski has withdrawn her bill aiming to repeal a part of the amendment that says the Utah won't give the same legal rights that marriage bestows to any other domestic union. Biskupski says that other LGBT rights bills making their way through the Legislature will have a better chance of succeeding if she stops pursuing her bill.
An out-of-work truck driver pleaded guilty Monday and was sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing two people and wounding six others with a shotgun in a Tennessee church last summer. Audience members subdued him and prevented him from killing more. Police say Jim Adkisson targeted the church because of its liberal open-door policies, including acceptance of LGBT worshippers.
That’s the news from us today. Thanks for tuning in to Equally Speaking.
Have a great day and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow morning.