Nevada Legislature Overrides Veto, Recognizes Domestic Partnerships

Well, I didn’t see this one coming. The legislation, creating a new designation of “domestic partnership” in the state of Nevada, was vetoed by Governor Jim Gibbons (R) on May 25th, one week before the end of the legislative session.

From today’s Las Vegas Sun:

The [Nevada Assembly] vote Sunday night was 28-14, the bare minimum needed to overturn the decision of the governor. It follows the 14-7 vote in the Senate Saturday and puts the bill into law.

Gary Peck, executive director of the ACLU in Nevada, said “this is a proud day in Nevada’s history. With its override, our Legislature has put our state on the right side of a growing movement to honor this country’s promise that every one of us is entitled to equal treatment under the law.”

Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie, D-Reno, who gave the only speech on the floor, called this a “historic vote for equality and justice.”

“This is the most important civil rights legislation we’ve had in all my years here and I am so happy and honored to be a part of it.”

She said she knew it was “a struggle” for many legislators.

She said domestic partners “are not asking us to approve of their lives or how they live but they are asking us for respect. As citizens of this great state, they are asking that their government give them the ability to choose who they will live with and who they will love.”

It’s worth noting that this new law, which goes into effect on October 1, 2009, does not equate domestic partnerships with marriage in every way. Certain rights are given, but others are not. For example, no business is required to offer insurance benefits to an employee’s domestic partner.

This is a big step for Nevada. It isn’t as far as Nevadans need it to go, but it’s a big step.