The Las Vegas Sun has reported that Governor Jim Gibbons’ veto of the Domestic Partnership bill may not be overriden by the Nevada legislature.
Gibbons vetoed Senate Bill 283, which would create a new kind of civil contract that offers the same rights to a domestic partner as a marital spouse, though the bill specifically says the new class of civil contract is not marriage.
“The bill passed with 26 votes in the Assembly and 12 in the Senate; it will need 28 and 14 to override the Gibbons veto.”
In the veto letter, Gibbons said the measure would “effectively bypass” the constitutional mandate against gay marriage — approved by voters in 2000 and 2002 — “by allowing the rights and privileges of marriage to be bestowed upon non-married persons.”
Gary Peck of the ACLU called Gibbons’ claim “nonsense” citing a section of the bill that specifically says the domestic partnerships are not marriage.
Of the 12 Senate Democrats, all supported the measure except Sens. John Lee and Terry Care, who are said to oppose the measure on religious grounds.
Republican Sens. Randolph Townsend and Mike McGinness supported the bill when it passed.
Surprised to see Mike McGinness support the bill. As to John Lee and Terry Care I don’t think their personal religious beliefs should have any bearing on the issue. Imposing their personal beliefs on a group of people isn’t what I believe legislatures ought to be doing. Doesn’t sound constitutional to me, though I haven’t researched the point.
Republican Senator Dean Rhoads says he has received twice as much correspondence in favor as against, including from heterosexual couples who want domestic partnerships rights.
No wonder. There are many heterosexual couples living together though not married. The veto affects them, too. Heck, even ultraconservative Chuck Muth is in favor of overriding the veto.
One commenter may have hit the nail on the head:
There is a hypocrisy that exists in Nevada. Members of the Mormon Church in particular have no problem working in establishments with gambling, investing in businesses that serve alcohol and many other related ventures. When it comes to making money nothing not even G-d stands in the way. But when it comes to equality rights for the LGBT community there is a large “religious” contingency that has no problem denying a groups rights because it infringes on their religious beliefs.
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