WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and SportsFair Wisconsin reacts to budget address

Fair Wisconsin reacts to budget address

MADISON (WKOW) Fair Wisconsin Applauds Governor Doyle for Protecting Committed Couples.

The following is a release the group send following the Governor's speech.  The budget stills needs to be approved by the Legislature.

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Fair Wisconsin applauds Gov. Jim Doyle for including limited domestic partnership protections for the state's same-sex couples in his biennial budget proposal.  The proposed domestic partnerships will grant basic protections to same-sex couples in caring, committed relationships, including hospital visitation and the ability to take Family Medical Leave to care for a sick partner.

"This is an important step toward ensuring that someone in a committed relationship is able to care for his or her partner," said Glenn Carlson, Executive Director of Fair Wisconsin.  "No one should ever have to worry about being blocked at their partner's hospital room door, or have to make the heartbreaking decision to quit their job in order to care for a seriously ill partner.  This isn't about being gay or straight-it's about being decent."

"We commend Gov. Doyle for his leadership on this issue," Carlson continued.  "We look forward to working with legislators to make sure that this fair-minded budget is passed quickly."

Fair Wisconsin is joined in thanking Governor Doyle by many LGBT advocacy and social service organizations throughout the state, including the Milwaukee LGBT Center,
OutReach (Madison), LGBT Resource Center for the Seven Rivers Region (LaCrosse), LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin (Kenosha), Center Advocates (Milwaukee), Gay Straight Alliance for Safe Schools (Madison), SAGE/Milwaukee, Diverse and Resilient (Milwaukee), and Cream City Foundation's Gay Neighbor Project (Milwaukee).

Three-quarters of likely Wisconsin voters support some form of legal recognition for gay and lesbian couples according to a poll conducted in January 2009 by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner.

"People in Wisconsin are fair and decent and are ready to provide critical protections to committed couples," says Fair Wisconsin Legislative Director Katie Belanger.  "We shouldn't stand in the way of someone being able to care for their long-term partner."

To be eligible for a domestic partnership, two individuals must be of the same sex, both be at least 18 years old, share a common residence, not be nearer of kin than second cousins, and neither party can be married or in another domestic partnership with anyone else.  Domestic partnerships will be administered at the county level, and couples must sign a legal declaration of their commitment.