Gov. David Paterson has directed all state agencies to begin to revise their policies and regulations to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions, like Massachusetts, California and Canada.

In a directive issued on May 14, the governor's legal counsel, David Nocenti, instructed the agencies that gay couples married elsewhere "should be afforded the same recognition as any other legally performed union."

The revisions are most likely to involve as many as 1,300 statutes and regulations in New York governing everything from joint filing of income tax returns to transferring fishing licenses between spouses.

In a videotaped message given to gay community leaders at a dinner on May 17, Mr. Paterson described the move as "a strong step toward marriage equality." And people on both sides of the issue said it moved the state closer to fully legalizing same-sex unions in this state.

via NYT

Labels: marriage, new york

New York reports decline in AIDS deaths; despite increased infection rates:
Deaths in New York City from HIV/AIDS fell by nearly 15 percent in 2006 the city health department said Wednesday.

AIDS deaths dropped from 1,419 in 2005 to 1,209 in 2006. The decline was reflected in both sexes and all ethnic groups.

"Numbers this low have not been seen since 1984, when New York City recorded 952 deaths from AIDS," the health department report said.

Circumventing Process, Vermont's Anti-Gay Groups Form Group to Block Gay Marriage:
Conservative anti-gay groups have been avoiding all legislative hearings regarding civil unions vs. marriage stating that the legislature is "pro-gay".

Conservative groups that boycotted legislative hearings on a proposed gay marriage bill in Vermont accusing it of being pro-gay announced Tuesday they have set up their own commission to "set the record straight".

The groups, which include Vermont Renewal an organization that for most of its history has fought all LGBT legislation in the state, held a news conference at the State House to announce the establishment of commission.

Spokesperson Stephen Cable said the commission will hold public hearings throughout the state. The first "Marriage Matters" forum will be held January 19th at the University of Vermont.

The commission also will open a Web site "to educate people" about the dangers of same-sex marriage, especially to children whose interests he said have been overlooked to date.

To save you from having to go to their website to learn about the 'dangers of same-sex marriage', here are three of them.
1.) Families will legally be able to take care of one another in times of crisis.
2.) Couples will legally be automatically able to leave their estate to their partner.
3.) Spouses will automatically be able to share a cemetery plot.

HORRIFIC I KNOW!

Clinton Wins New Hampshire:
Surprising to most who know me, but I have yet to pick my presidential favorite. I was very pleased when Obama won Iowa and also pleased to see Hilary come out on top in NH.

Labels: 2008 Presidential Election, new hampshire, new york, vermont

The New York State Assembly voted 85 to 61 to pass AB 8590, a bill that would provide same-sex couples with the equal right to marry under state law. The bill now goes to the state NY Senate.

via HRC:
Already this year, legislatures in several states have taken a stand for equality for same-sex couples and their families. Last week, the Massachusetts legislature rejected, by a 151-45 vote, a discriminatory proposed constitutional amendment that would have rolled back marriage equality in the Bay State. Earlier this month, California's Assembly passed a marriage equality bill; that bill is pending in the state Senate. Earlier this year, civil union legislation was signed into law in New Hampshire, while domestic partnership bills were signed into law in Oregon and Washington.

Last year, New York's high court ruled against marriage equality in a 4-2 decision. The majority opinion in Hernandez v. Robles concluded that whether same-sex marriages deserve equal recognition "is a question to be addressed by the Legislature." The court's Chief Judge predicted in dissent that "future generations will look back on today's decision as an unfortunate misstep."

If the New York marriage equality bill is signed into law, New York would join Massachusetts as the second state to provide marriage equality for same-sex couples under state law. Ten states, plus Washington, D.C., now have laws providing at least some form of state-level relationship recognition for same-sex couples.

Labels: marriage, new york

New York Gov. Elliott Spitzer will propose same-sex legislation in the new session of the legislature according to his press spokesperson.

In his inauguration speech Spitzer did not mention the marriage issue or state's LGBT community raising concerns the governor had abandoned his campaign pledge to promote a marriage bill.

"The governor made a commitment to advancing it this year, and he will do so," Spitzer's communications director, Darren Dopp, told The New York Sun.

Spitzer has been a longtime advocate of gay marriage - despite as Attorney General being obligated to argue against it in the state high court case that upheld the current ban on gay marriage.

In July the New York Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, ruled that same-sex couples do not have a constitutional right to marry. It said that the issue, however, could be taken up by the Legislature.

Immediately after the ruling Spitzer said that he would draft and propose legislation to legalize gay marriage in New York State if elected governor.

But, Dopp on Friday warned that enacting a same-sex marriage bill "isn't a Day One issue." Dopp told the Sun that the first priorities are ethics and economic reform.

"We have to prioritize and that's how we prioritized," Dopp told the Sun. "That's not to say other matters are not important."

Following a move in New Paltz to allow gay marriages in 2004 Spitzer said that under state law the marriages would not be legal but said he believed gay marriage should be legal. He later issued a directive that marriages performed in areas of the world where they are legal must be recognized in New York state.

In October Spitzer was the keynote speaker at Empire State Pride Agenda's annual dinner.

"No New Yorker should be deprived of the right to marry the person of their choice, regardless of gender," he said to thunderous applause.

"This is not about forcing any religion to perform or recognize gay marriage. It's simply about permitting gay and lesbian couples the right to live in stable, long-term married relationships."

A month later he handily defeated Republican John Faso an opponent of same-sex marriage.

Bills coming before the Legislature are usually penned by members of the Assembly or the Senate, but in New York governor's regularly write their own legislation, called Program Bills which are then filed by members.

via 365gay.com

Labels: gay rights, marriage, new york