Sunday, May 31, 2009
Nevada, pushed by tourism industry, overrides veto and enacts domestic partnership law
by Larry Geller
The Nevada legislature overrode a veto by Republican governor Jim Gibbons to enact a domestic partnership law for same-sex and unmarried straight couples on Sunday evening. Like Hawaii’s legislature, Nevada lawmakers seem willing to work odd hours.
Unlike Hawaii lawmakers, though, they were persuaded to act in part by Nevada’s tourism industry (mainly the casinos).
Proponents were able to persuade two members of both the Senate and the Assembly to switch sides since earlier votes. Many were pressured by executives for the casino industry, who feared a boycott by gay travelers. [NY Times, Nevada Partnership Bill Now Law, 6/1/2009]
If that’s what it took, Hawaii lawmakers should equally fear a future boycott. It’s just a question of time before pressures increase on them to follow the growing national trend towards civil liberties and equal rights for same-sex couples.
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