CT enacts same sex civil unions law

Republican Governor Jodi M. Rell of Connecticut has signed into law a compromise bill which bans state recognition of same sex marriage but enacts same-sex civil unions.
There are now two states which have civil unions (Vermont in 2000 and Connecticut in 2005) and one with same same-sex marriage (Massachusetts in 2004). What's interesting about Connecticut's action is that this was not done in response to an order by the state highest court (which was the Vermont situation). There is still a pending lawsuit seeking same-sex marriage in CT. There are also active lawsuits in New York, Washington, California and other states.

It is very likely that a similar event to Connecticut's civil union victory will happen in California this year: a Republican Governor (Arnold Schwarzenegger) will sign into law a same-sex marriage bill passed by a Democratic-controlled state legislature.
California, New Jersey and Hawaii already have domestic partnership registration laws which provide significant but not equivalent or sufficient benefits to same-sex couples registered in those states.

Gallup has recent polling data which suggests that support for same-sex marriage has recently dipped, with 57% now supporting a federal constitutional amendment to ban state recognition of same sex marriages, although about half of Americans also support either civil unions or same-sex marriage.