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Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Rival Partnership Bills Rolled Out
By Jeff Jones
Journal Politics Writer
SANTA FE — A pair of competing Democratic and Republican domestic partnership bills are getting an early start in this year's legislative session.
Both bills are slated to go in front of two key Senate committees today in a hearing that could draw plenty of political fireworks.
Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque, is sponsoring a measure that would give domestic partners the same protections and benefits as married couples. It also includes a reciprocity measure that would extend those rights in New Mexico to same-sex couples married in other states.
Meanwhile, Sen. William Sharer, R-Farmington, is pushing a competing bill providing for “contractual common household” agreements between two adults sharing domestic responsibilities.
The Senate in 2007 substituted a domestic-partners bill with a “contractual common household” measure, which was blasted by critics as being technically flawed and meaningless.
Sharer disputed that, saying his bill would give gay couples the protections of married couples without “destroying the institution of marriage.”
A domestic partnership bill similar to the McSorley measure was part of Gov. Bill Richardson's 2008 legislative agenda, but failed, as have previous measures.
Rep. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, who has introduced a bill in the House identical to the McSorley measure, said today's scheduled hearing — which is to come just nine days into the current, 60-day session — is a good sign for that bill's backers.
There are “new people” in the Roundhouse this time around, Stewart said.
Panel hearings
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