R. I. considers marriage
The Boston Herald reports Rhode Island House lawmakers is taking up a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in the state.
The House Judiciary Committee was scheduled to hear testimony on the bill Feb. 9, after delaying a Feb. 2 hearing because of bad weather.
The legislation has been introduced several times over the years, but failed when it faced opposition from previous Republican Gov. Don Carcieri and former legislative leaders.
This year, advocates are more optimistic because it has the support of new Gov. Lincoln Chafee, an independent, and Democratic House Speaker Gordon Fox, who is gay and a co-sponsor of the bill.
Neb. judge denies divorce for lesbian couple
Nebraska’s KNEB reports a Nebraska judge has denied a divorce for a lesbian couple married in Vermont, saying he can’t dissolve a marriage that isn’t recognized by the state.
The divorce filing from Brenda Mueller, of Nebraska City, advised the court that she and Deborah Pry had agreed to a custody arrangement for their daughter and settled other issues related to their separation.
But Otoe County District Judge Randall Rehmeier ruled that because the Nebraska Constitution doesn’t recognize the couple’s 2003 marriage in Vermont, he has no authority to grant their divorce. The judge approved their custody arrangement.
ND Senate rejects hate-crime penalties
The Bismarck Tribune reports a proposal for harsher criminal penalties for racially motivated assaults and attacks on gays and lesbians was defeated Feb. 1 in the North Dakota Senate.
Bismarck Sen. Margaret Sitte said the hate-crimes measure would require prosecutors to prove what was in an attacker’s mind during an assault. She said local state’s attorneys already have the laws they need to prosecute beatings.
Sitte also said the bill was “so broad that almost anyone could allege discrimination” to have someone prosecuted for a hate crime.
Senators defeated the legislation 37-10.
— Larry Nichols