The Illinois Senate today voted 32-24 to grant gay couples the same legal rights as married couples in the state. Yesterday, the state’s legislative body approved the measure moving it to the Senate today.
Governor Pat Quinn has publicly stated he supports the measure and his intention to sign it into law. The vote count was not a surprise and measured right along party lines - Democrats for it with Republicans against it. The Catholic Conference of Illinois was one of the most vocal and powerful opponents.
Some Republican’s stated their opposition seeing this as an affirmation of same sex marriage.
Illinois becomes the sixth state in the union to allow gay couples to enter into civil unions allowing them to make health-care decisions for their partner, allow partners to handle the estate of their partner and be eligible for health insurance on their partner’s plan. Heterosexual couples will also be allowed to enter civil union if they choose not to be legally married.
