The House passed a civil union bill, which gives gay and lesbian couples all the benefits of marriage. In fact, the London Times called it homosexual marriage. The legal rights and benefits of civil union are identical to marriage. Partners apply for a license and then have it certified in a ceremony performed by a justice or clergy. Couples wanting to dissolve their relationship go through the family court, using the same procedures married couples follow in divorce.
Partners receive virtually all the same rights, benefits and responsibilities that spouses do.
This union or marriage is not yet portable to other states, but some legal scholars say it could be in the future. In two surveys I ve taken in my district this past year, constituents overwhelmingly oppose same sex marriage. In my opinion, the bill passed by the House is same sex marriage. The national and international press is also viewing it as such. Based on phone calls and e-mails at the State House, people understand it s the same regardless of what Governor Dean calls it.