UTAH SENATE KILLS UNMARRIED-DEPENDENT BENEFITS: From the Deseret Morning News

The state Senate on Tuesday killed an effort to provide those who can't legally marry a few health and property related benefits.

Following the 18-10 vote against his proposed "Mutual Dependence Benefits Contract," Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights, said the measure is dead for now.

"Some of the very conservative groups drew a line in the sand and said this was a gay bill," Bell said. "The perception out there was greater than the reality."

Before the vote, Bell asked senators to consider SB89 independently of Amendment 3, a voter-approved state constitutional amendment that bans same-sex marriage and prevents giving any other "domestic union" the same or "substantially equivalent legal effect" as marriage.

He introduced an amendment that clarified the measure was not meant to create a marriage-like relationship. ...

Other lawmakers who opposed the measure said the benefits that would have been provided by the contract are already available individually. Bell acknowledged that but pointed to the expense of hiring an attorney.

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posted by Eve at 3:36 PM | link

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