It's a beautiful day for marriage equality in the state of Delaware, as our state Senate has just passed SB 30, "AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CIVIL UNIONS." The bill passed by a vote of 13-6, with 2 absences.
The bill is scheduled to go to House Committee on Wednesday, and if (when) it clears, it will go to the House floor on Thursday. 19 out of 41 representatives are co-sponsoring the bill, so it is considered VERY likely to pass, and it has the support of our Democratic governor. So by the end of next week, same-sex couples will be granted all the rights and privileges of straight couples in the state of Delaware.
As is traditional for social issues in Delaware, voting followed geographical divisions more closely than political divisions. Northern (New Castle County) Republicans supported the bill, including Senate Minority Whip Liane Sorenson, who co-sponsored it, whereas the bill's most vocal opponent was southern (Sussex County) Democrat Bob Venables, who introduced a hostile amendment to extend civil unions to family members (ie incest) and another to defer the matter to a referendum (a delaying action). Both amendments failed.
The bill grants full marriage equality to civil unions both in-state and out of state, according to the summary of the bill:
Parties who enter into a lawful civil union in Delaware, or whose legal union is recognized as a civil union under Delaware law, will have all of the same rights, benefits, protections and responsibilities as married persons under Delaware law.
Naturally, I support same-sex marriage - calling it a "civil union", even if it has all the same rights as marriage, is still suggesting that there is some fundamental difference between heterosexual and homosexual relationships. However, the fact that same sex couples will soon be granted full equality, even under a different name, is something that deserves to be celebrated. Kudos to Senator David Sokola, the bill's primary sponsor and the Senate's chief defender of LGBT rights. Last session, Sen. Sokola got a bill passed to ban discrimination based on sexual preference.
More good news from the Delaware Senate, courtesy of Delaware Liberal:
The Senate passed both SB 12 (Henry), which “removes the prohibition against persons convicted of any drug felony from receiving federal food benefit assistance”; and SB 13 (Henry), which “continues, without sunsetting, the needle exchange program.”
It's nice to live in a state where Democrats hold the trifecta!