U.S. Governors

About 20 gay couples in Iowa had finished applying for marriage licences when the county appealed and Polk County Judge Robert Hanson formally stayed his ruling.

The stay meant the recorder's office was not permitted to accept any more marriage applications from gay couples until the Iowa Supreme Court rules on the county's appeal.

Washington's newly passed Domestic Partnership law went into effect July 23, 2007, and couples lined up by the dozens to register their relationships.

The registry offers some legal standing for same-sex and straight couples.

An organized group of social conservatives has been collecting petition signatures needed to block measures that will allow same-sex couples the same benefits as married straight couples, and protection against discrimination.

Leading the charge against gay rights in Oregon is former Republican Senator Marylin Shannon (shannon.sen@state.or.us or 503-986-1011 or 503-986-1715).

The New York State Assembly announced the passage of A2915-B, the Public and Private Umbilical Cord Blood Banking legislation.

The bill passed the NYS Senate on June 19th, and requires the NYS Department of Health to develop an educational program to make the public aware of umbilical cord banking.

Governor Spitzer needs to sign S1265A into law.

United Parcel Service (UPS) has denied health benefits to the families of two Teamster-represented drivers in New Jersey who happen to be gay. UPS claims that the drivers’ partners are not “spouses” under the state's civil union law.

Now Governor Corzine is involved. He wants UPS to offer gay employees the same benefits for their partners that married workers get.

After Congress ordered states in 1997 to move faster to find more families willing to adopt, child-welfare organizations joined together to get legislatures to allow any qualified parent to adopt, irrespective of sexual orientation.

Although President Bush maintains a conservative-Republican presence on every issue, Democrats now control both houses of Congress. They won majorities in 10 new state legislatures, and control a majority of America’s governorships.