Cook County commissioners just approved a measure that changes a county ordinance to benefit same-sex couples that get married in another state.
The Cook County State's Attorney Office told Windy City Times that the measure, spearheaded by Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley, was passed July 1. Two commissioners—Liz Doody-Gorman and Gregg Goslin—voted against the measure, which changed the ordinance so that same-sex couples who work for the county won't lose their benefits if they are married elsewhere.
If the measure didn't pass, couples would not have been allowed to remain registered with Cook County and receive domestic-partner benefits.
The approval follows a recent California decision legalizing gay marraige. Since June 17, gay and lesbian couples across the U.S., including couples from Cook County, have flocked to California to tie the knot.
Quigley told Windy City Times that the California decision sparked the idea for this measure, which goes into effect immediately.
"Obviously, there is a lot of interest with our folks going to California," he said. As the sponsor of the original measure that was passed in 1999, Quigley said it was his duty to make sure the ordinance went through any necessary changes in order to continue to protect county employees.
He hopes that in the future, steps to provide equality will be no big deal. "I'm hoping my kids will wonder what all the fuss was about," Quigley said.
But the recent decision, passed with little dissent and debate, may be a mark of the significant strides made in the past decade.
"We're winning by bigger majorities than we did before," Quigley said, referring to when the original ordinance only passed by a 9-6 vote after a heated debate nine years ago. At the time, the decision was very controversial.
After the vote, Quigley; Board President Todd Stroger; Kelly Cassidy of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office; Marynic Foster, acting director of the Cook County Commission on Human Rights; and Jim Madigan of the Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund held a press conference. "The issue of recognition and respect for the rights of LGBT people in domestic partnerships is a human rights and a civil rights issue that simply must be embraced," said President Stroger. "If we truly believe in the importance of family, then we must do what we can to secure the rights and well-being of all families, including those of our LGBT residents."
