I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
Democrat Lt. Gov. Diane Denish supports domestic partnerships. Republican Susana Martinez doesn’t.
The distinction between the gubernatorial candidates’ stances is important to those who follow the annual debate over whether to give same-sex couples many, if not all, of the same rights, as married couples under state law.
The legislation comes up every year before the New Mexico Legislature, and each year it dies, stopped by a powerful coalition of Democrats and Republicans that argue that were the legislation to become law it would lead to same-sex marriage.
But supporters say they won’t quit pushing and predict that they’ll drum up enough votes to pass the measure in a few years, meaning the next governor could determine whether the legislation becomes law or not, given the veto power wielded by the state’s chief executive.
“The gay/lesbian community is watching the race,” said Linda Siegle, a lobbyist who pushes for domestic partnerships each year. “We want to have a governor who will sign domestic partnerships legislation.”
Opponents, likewise, are watching the gubernatorial race, seeing the next governor as potentially the last defense against legislation they dislike.
It’s not necessary
Martinez is frank in explaining why she doesn’t support domestic partnerships.
“I don’t think it is necessary. It is not a law I would sign,” Martinez said last week.
Her remarks get to one of the major disagreements supporters and opponents often have during the annual debate on domestic partnerships.
While whether or not domestic partnerships leads to same-sex marriage dominates debate, a quieter, arguably more urgent discussion on the practical realities of life in New Mexico for same-sex couples goes on.
New Mexico state laws afford same-sex couples all the rights they need to plan inheritances, make end-of-life decisions for partners and do all the other things that spouses do for one another, argue opponents of domestic partnerships.
Supporters, like Denish, say that’s untrue.
“This is not just about eliminating discrimination and doing what’s right, it’s also about economics,” Denish spokesman Chris Cervini said this week. “Domestic partnerships allow adults in committed relationships to plan inheritances, make health-care decisions and build wealth together. During these difficult times, we should be encouraging families to build and accrue wealth.”
“Diane’s number one priority is jobs and economic security — and domestic partnerships is one more way for people in committed relationships to achieve that,” Cervini added.
In the past advocates have testified before lawmakers that they’ve had to fork over thousands of dollars to consolidate their rights under state law. One supporter last year held up a green binder at a legislative hearing that contained a two-pound agreement costing $3,000 that consolidated all the rights available to her and her partner.
Separate does not mean equal, they say.
New Mexico not alone
New Mexico is not alone in considering extending more rights to same-sex couples.
Several states, including Iowa, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, allow same-sex marriage. But more have domestic partnerships or civil unions.
The argument that domestic partnerships can lead to same-sex marriage – an argument used to oppose the legislation in New Mexico — is true if the word “can” is understood as key term in that sentence. A court struck down Connecticut’s civil unions law in 2008, clearing the way for same-sex marriage.
But in other states that have civil unions or domestic partnerships, like Washington and Wisconsin, same sex marriage hasn’t become law.
Supporters likely will face a difficult path during the 2011 legislative session.
Last year supporters crafted an 800-page bill enumerating every right that would have been conferred to same-sex couples without the use of the word “marriage.” Previous attempts to pass domestic partnerships legislation had linked to Section 40 in the state statutes – which defined marriage under state law – to explain what rights were being conferred.
Last year’s bill went nowhere.
But that won’t stop supporters from trying again, Siegle said.
