Civil Unions Legalized in Illinois

Gov. Quinn: 'We believe in civil rights'
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 31, 2011 10:47 PM CST
Civil Unions Legalized in Illinois
Illinois Gov Pat Quinn holds up the signed civil unions bill during ceremonies Monday, Jan. 31, 2011 in Chicago.    (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Illinois has become the sixth state to recognize civil unions between same-sex couples. A bill signed into law by Governor Pat Quinn Monday afternoon gives gay and lesbian couples many of the same rights as their heterosexual counterparts, including the right to visit a loved one in hospital, the Chicago Tribune reports.

The measure was narrowly approved by state lawmakers during their lame-duck session last month. "For us it means our marriage will be recognized by the state of Illinois as something other than just living together and sharing a mortgage," said a woman who married her partner in Massachusetts, one of the five states where gay marriage is legal. "On a larger scale, it's one more step toward equality."
(Read more Illinois stories.)

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