Delaware Governor Jack Markell will
sign a civil unions bill into law on Wednesday, May 11.
Markell will sign the landmark
legislation approved by lawmakers last month at the World Cafe Live
at the Queen located on Market Street in Wilmington. A
representative from the venue said a room had yet to be assigned for
the signing ceremony but its most likely space accommodates 150
people and larger rooms are also available. The ceremony begins at
6PM.
Delaware lawmakers made quick work of
the bill, going from introduction to passage in the Legislature in
just over 3 weeks. By contrast, similar recent victories in Hawaii
and Illinois took years to accomplish. And New Jersey adopted civil
unions only after a mandate from the state's highest court.
A
GOP-controlled Colorado House committee killed a similar measure in
March.
Social conservatives who oppose the law
testified that it would be used as a stepping stone to legalize
marriage for gay and lesbian couples.
Last week, Rhode
Island lawmakers announced they would switch from backing a bill that
would make the state the sixth in the nation to legalize gay marriage
to civil unions legislation.