From the Associated Press report:
The Assembly's 28-14 vote — the bare two-thirds majority needed — followed the state Senate's vote a day earlier to enact the measure into state lawbooks over the conservative Republican governor's objections.Woo hoo! Now, Washington, California, Nevada all have comprehensive domestic partnership legislation, which some on the east coast would call civil unions.
The bill provides that domestic partners have the same rights as married couples in matters such as community property and responsibility for debts. It also prohibits discrimination against domestic partners.
Critics contended that domestic partners can sign private contracts to accomplish many of the goals of the bill, and that it conflicted with the intent of Nevadans who voted in 2002 for a constitutional amendment supporting marriage between a man and a woman.
The measure states, among other things, that no "solemnization ceremony" is required and it's "left to the dictates and conscience of partners entering into a domestic partnership" whether to have such a ceremony.
Nevada does not have "comprehensive domestic partnership legislation." For instance, businesses would not be required to treat an employee's domestic partner as a spouse in insurance matters. Further, there is no indication the Nevada tax code will be changed to give domestic partners the same status as spouses. Nevada's new law, while an encouraging step in the right direction, is not comprehensive.
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