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Hawaii legislature okays civil unions

Dick Taffe — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 21:10:46 +0000

The Hawaii legislature approved a civil-unions bill and sent it to Republican Gov. Linda Lingle, who has 45 days to either sign it or send it back to lawmakers for a possible override vote. Law Professor Linda McClain, an authority on family law and policy, says it’s significant this bill emerged through the democratic process in that the federal Defense of Marriage Act arose out of a supposed fear that Hawaii’s supreme court would approve same-sex marriage back in 1993.

“The passage of this bill is very significant because Hawaii was the first state that seemed poised to allow same-sex marriage, before the people of Hawaii approved a constitutional amendment reserving to itself the power to define marriage. It would be a notable postscript on this history if Hawaii now, through the democratic process, allowed civil unions.”

Contact Linda McClain, 617-358-4635, lmcclain@bu.edu

California high court ruling on same-sex marriages

Dick Taffe — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:17:48 +0000

California’s Supreme Court today upheld last November’s state’s Proposition 8 decision by voters that overturned the high court’s earlier ruling legalizing same-sex marriages. School of Law Professor Linda McClain, an authority on family law and policy, can comment on the legal ramifications of today’s decision.

“Perhaps this, in combination with the economic problems California faces, may spur a sober second look at how Californians regard their Constitution and what should be required in order to amend it.”

Contact Linda McClain, 617-358-4635, lmcclain@bu.edu

New York same-sex marriage bill

Dick Taffe — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:54:06 +0000

With New York Governor Paterson introducing a same-sex marriage bill before that state’s legislature, Law Professor Linda McClain, an authority on family law and policy, says New York lawmakers may be pressured by other states moving quickly on this front.

“Is this peer pressure likely to have an effect ? Now that other lawmaking bodies are considering revising their marriage laws, it may put more pressure on New York lawmakers to explain why what is seen to be a matter of fairness and basic equality in other states is not seen that way in New York.”

Contact Linda McClain, 617-358-4635, lmcclain@bu.edu