Main | Friday, April 05, 2013

Tempe AZ Considers Civil Unions

Encouraged by the actions of the small town of Bisbee, the Phoenix suburb of Tempe last night began considering civil unions.
Tempe Councilman Kolby Granville called the Bisbee vote momentous. On Wednesday, Granville, a Democrat, told The Arizona Republic that he asked for the council executive session on civil unions. He wants Tempe to be the first Valley city to approve civil-union certificates for its residents. If approved, the legal rights would apply to an estimated 165,000 Tempe residents compared with 5,600 or so in Bisbee. “Tempe tends to be a leader in issues of civil rights,” Granville said. “And, to me, equality based on sexual orientation is one of those very same civil rights.” Granville pointed to Tempe’s move in 1999 to become one of the first Arizona cities to approve health-care benefits for domestic partners, which the city generally defines as unmarried couples of the same or opposite sex.
Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne said Wednesday that he will file a lawsuit to stop Bisbee from enacting its ordinance.

Labels: , ,

comments powered by Disqus

<<Home