Richardson pushing domestic partners bill

OF THE BURIED BODIES. // GOVERNOR RICHARDSON IS WORKING HARD BEHIND THE SCENES - TRYING TO ...  More »

OF THE BURIED BODIES. // GOVERNOR RICHARDSON IS WORKING HARD BEHIND THE SCENES - TRYING TO CONVINCE STATE LAWMAKERS TO VOTE FOR ONE OF HIS FAVORITE PIECES OF LEGISLATION - THE DEEPLY CONTROVERSIAL DOMESTIC PARTNERS BILL. STUART DYSON IS LIVE AT THE CAPITOL WHERE THE STATE SENATE IS EXPECTED TO TURN THUMBS UP - OR THUMBS DOWN - IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.// THE GOVERNOR IS USING HIS FORMIDABLE PERSUASIVE POWERS TO PULL UNCERTAIN LAWMAKERS HIS WAY - BUT THERE ARE POWERFUL FORCES AT WORK ON THE OTHER SIDE TOO - MAINLY RELIGIOUS GROUPS - INCLUDING A HUGE ONE - KNOWN AS THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. BOTH SIDES TURN OUT IN IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS - RALLYING BEFORE COMMITTEE HEARINGS - CROWDING IN TO CORRIDORS AND GALLERIES. THE BILL WOULD GIVE UNMARRIED COUPLES - GAY AND STRAIGHT - THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE SAME LEGAL RIGHTS AS MARRIED COUPLES. CATHOLIC CHURCH LEADERS ARE FIRMLY OPPOSED AND WORKING HARD TO SHORE UP OPPOSITION TO THE BILL. ' They're a very powerful force and they're active and I respect that - this is the legislative process - this is democracy - but hopefully we will prevail.' THE SENATE IS WHERE THE BILL WILL SINK OR SWIM - VETERAN VOTE- COUNTERS IN THE SENATE SAY IT'S VERY CLOSE TO A TIE RIGHT NOW - WITH THE MAJORITY LEADER TELLING THE GOVERNOR TO EXPECT A VOTE BY THE END OF THIS WEEK OR EARLY NEXT WEEK. THE DOMESTIC PARTNERS BILL IS EXPECTED TO PASS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - IF IT SURVIVES THE VOTE IN THE SENATE - A BIG IF RIGHT NOW.  « Less