May 1, 2000
Vermont gives same-sex benefits
___MONTPELIER, Vt. (RNS)--Vermont Gov. Howard Dean signed a law April 26 that makes the state the first to give gay and lesbian couples the rights and benefits of marriage through "civil unions."
___The state's lawmakers, who approved the bill by a vote of 79-68, did not use the term "marriage" to describe the new benefits. They instead created a parallel track of "civil unions," which would give homosexual partners the property and other legal rights given to spouses.
___Janet Parshall, chief spokeswoman for the Family Research Council, decried the lawmakers' action.
___"This is 'gay marriage' in everything but name, and it is a direct assault on society's most essential institution," Parshall said. "It means that Vermont's lawmakers no longer believe that marriage--and marriage-based families--have any unique value to society."
___The Vermont Supreme Court ruled unanimously in December that the denial of rights and benefits of marriage to gay couples was unconstitutional. The Legislature opted to create a parallel system for gay couples instead of broadening marriage statutes to include homosexuals.
___The civil unions are not recognized under federal law, which means gay couples cannot receive benefits bestowed by the government in areas such as immigration and Social Security.
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