CHICAGO -- One of the lead organizers of the passage of Illinois' Civil Union bill says he is 'ecstatic' on the eve of the implementation of civil unions in Illinois.
"It was a hard-fought effort to get the bill passed and a battle to keep it from being gutted by those who do not want to see fairness for lesbian and gay couples and their families," said Rick Garcia long-time gay rights activist and a major leader in the bill's passage.
Beginning June 1 lesbian and gay couples who are prohibited from marrying under state law and opposite sex couples who may not want to marry will be able to apply for a civil union license. On June 2 they can have it validated by a judge or clergy person. Couples must wait one day from the time they receive the license before a ceremony can be performed and it expires 60 days after being issued.
"Illinois is just one of six states that allow civil unions. That is a tribute to our legislature, our governor and the people of Illinois," suggested Garcia. "Real people and their families need civil protections and they need them now. The civil union bill provides protection for these Illinois couples and families."
A civil union conveys a broad range of rights and responsibilities including hospital visitation rights, inheritance rights even if the deceased died with a will and the right to access spousal health benefits if provided by an employer.
"Unfortunately, these rights, protections and benefits are not portable," said Garcia. "Because of federal law a civil union in Illinois means nothing in a slew of states nor does it convey the over 1,000 federal benefits and rights of marriage."
This year at least six bill attempting to weaken or gut the civil union bill were introduced in the Illinois General Assembly. Garcia with the ACLU and the Civil Rights Agenda, Senator Heather Steans, Senator Don Harmon and Representatives Deborah Mell and Greg Harris effectively killed all those pieces of legislation.
Garcia, a gay rights activist for some thirty years, has been involved in gay rights legislation in Illinois since the 1980's including passage of local gay rights ordinances in 13 Illinois municipalities, the state-wide bill that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and the civil union bill.