Domestic Partnerships For Nevada

One day after the Nevada Senate overrode Gov. Jim Gibbons' veto of their domestic partners bill, the state Assembly did the same. The deadline to pass the legislation was today, Monday June 1st, and both chambers of the state legislature worked through the weekend to achieve this major win for LGBT Nevadans.

In what supporters are calling a historic moment, the Assembly on Sunday night overrode the veto of Gov. Jim Gibbons on a bill giving legal rights to domestic partners. Tod Story, a member of the board of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada, said "Nevadans can stand proud." Story said Nevada has become the 17th state to recognize the relationships of gay and lesbian couples under state law. The law takes effect Oct. 1. The vote Sunday night was 28-14, the bare minimum needed to overturn the decision of the governor. It follows the 14-7 vote in the Senate Saturday and puts the bill into law.

Activists partially credit the support of the Las Vegas gaming industry, whose leaders published public letters backing their LGBT employees and who warned against losing valuable gay tourism at a critical time for the state.

Nevada Senate Overrides Gov. Gibbons' Veto Of Domestic Partners Bill

Yesterday the Nevada Senate overrode Gov. Jim Gibbons' veto of their domestic partners bill by a 14-7 vote, exactly the number needed for the required two-thirds majority. The bill originally passed 12-9, but two Republicans changed their vote with one citing lobbying from the casino industry as his reason. Go Jan Jones! The bill now goes back to the Assembly where two changed votes are also needed to override.

RELATED: Gibbons has earned the title "Gov. Veto," setting a record for the most bills vetoed by any governor since Nevada became a state in 1864,

Friendly Voices - Harrah's Jan Jones

"Most of us in Nevada absolutely support gay and lesbian rights. This is a big fight. We're not ready to give up. We want to override the veto. We’re not walking away from you; don’t walk away from us." - Senior vice president of Harrah's Entertainment Jan Jones, telling the Advocate that her company continues to stand behind the LGBT people of Nevada.

Jones urges gay tourists to continue to patronize the major hoteliers of Las Vegas that support Nevada's domestic partners bill, which was vetoed yesteday by Gov. Jim Gibbons. Both Harrah's and the MGM-Mirage chain offer benefits to partners of gay employees.

Nevada Gov Vetoes Domestic Partners Bill

Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons has vetoed his legislature's domestic partners bill, saying it conflicts with the state's 2002 constitutional amendment that only relationships between men and women would be recognized. Gibbons says that gay couples should resort to legal contracts between themselves if they want to protect their assets and ensure medical decision-making rights. It's unknown if the legislature will attempt to override Gibbons' veto. Meanwhile any hetero couple can meet at the craps table and have their drive-thru wedding five minutes later.

Harrah's Comes Out For Nevada's Gays

The Harrah's chain of Las Vegas casinos and hotels has written a letter to Nevada's legislature warning about a potential loss in gay tourism if Gov. Gibbons vetoes that state's pending domestic partners bill.

In a letter to lawmakers, Harrah's Senior Vice President Jan Jones said that Nevada must compete with other destinations for the growing gay and lesbian business and that there could be a "negative economic impact" if the bill does not become law. "Our state cannot afford to lose any more revenue to other destinations because of a reputation as a place which is not socially or politically the right place to do business or to vacation," Jones stated in the letter, dated Tuesday. Gays and lesbians have the highest disposable income of any segment of the population, according to Jones. "Our company does aggressive marketing to this community," Jones said Wednesday. "How can we say to them 'we want your business, but we don't care about your rights.'"

The Nevada ACLU hailed Harrah's move: "This is not just a civil rights issue; it is an economic issue. The defeat of SB283 would send a terrible message to a segment of the community that we work hard to attract to our travel and tourism destinations."

Nevada Legislature Approves Domestic Partners Bill, Gov Promises To Veto

Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons has promised to veto the domestic partners bill passed by that state's legislature on Tuesday.

Senate Bill 283, sponsored by state Sen. David Parks, D-Las Vegas, would allow domestic partners, including same-sex partners, equal rights with married couples on issues such as estate planning, medical decisions, community property and children if they enter into a civil contract and obtain a Certificate of Registered Domestic Partnership from the secretary of state. The bill had passed the Senate and Assembly, but the Senate had to vote Tuesday on an amendment attached in the Assembly. Senators did so with a majority voice vote. Gibbons spokesman Daniel Burns said the governor has several reasons for his veto. "The governor believes that government has no business in your medicine chest or your bedroom," Burns said. "He also believes there are existing contracts that can be created, so no change to the law is needed. If there are people who want to be domestic partners, they can do so under existing laws. "He is also mindful of the fact that voters of this state on two occasions have said that marriage is between a man and a woman, and it's part of our Constitution."

The state Senate is thought to have to votes to override Gibbons' veto.