Civil Unions to be Legalized in Illinois

Civil unions will soon be legal in the state of Illinois. The Illinois Legislature passed the bill on December 1 that will be signed by Governor Pat Quinn. This means that straight and gay couples will have the choice to enter into a civil union that will hold the same state-level rights as marriage.

In the House of Representatives the vote was 61-52. In the Senate it was 32-24.

The Director of Public Policy Rick Garcia recently spoke with the Windy City Times, commenting that " the most politically powerful thing gay people can do is to come out to family and friends...Illinoisians are middle-of-the-road folks, so I think (this bill's passage) bodes well for our community across the country ."

However, the bill has one critic, the Freedom to Marry Executive Director Evan Wolfson, who welcomes the bill as a "step" but still believes that it is not a valid substitute for marriage. Even Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley believes that "eventually marriage will take place" for gay couples.

Have questions about your domestic partnership? Consult with a family lawyer near you.