Civil Unions Coming to Illinois?

Regardless of the outcome of the election on Tuesday, current state lawmakers are scheduled to return to Springfield, Illinois November 16-18 and November 29 - December 1 for a "veto session."

Governor Quinn (D) is on record, before the election, on whether civil unions could be legalized during these veto sessions. Quinn, known to be a strong supporter of civil unions, went on record to say: "The votes are there, I believe-in the Senate for sure, and definitely I think we can do it in the House."
It is important to know that victories by pro-family candidates on November 2, 2010 do not take effect until January 2011. So the veto session to complete unfinished state business will include both defeated and retiring lawmakers-legislators who will not be held accountable in the next election cycle.
Therefore, it is vital that we contact our current state legislator and ask him or her to vote against civil unions and to continue to preserve traditional marriage between one man and one woman. Ask them to vote "NO" on SB 1716. Same-sex civil unions are a steppingstone to same-sex marriage. The Illinois SB1716 makes "party to a civil union" the same as "spouse" in every part of Illinois law. It equates marriage and civil unions by making the actions for dissolution identical for both. SB1716 also says that a marriage between persons of the same sex legally entered into in another jurisdiction shall be recognized in Illinois as a civil union. Thus a same-sex marriage solemnized in Massachusetts would be considered a civil union in Illinois. (More information on this bill can be found at our website; www.ifrl.org/lake.) Civil unions and same-sex "marriages," will destroy marriage as we know it. Voters across the country have strongly rejected same sex marriages. Thirty states have passed defense of marriage amendments to their constitutions.

Let's do our part to stop this legislation in Illinois! Please call your state representative now. Their phone numbers are on the left. We cannot afford to let this bill get to Governor Patrick Quinn's desk, as he has made it clear that he will sing it.