Hartford Lawmakers Consider 2 Bills on Gay Couples' Legal Status

ARTFORD, Feb. 11 — More than 200 people packed a public hearing today as Connecticut lawmakers considered two bills, one to legalize gay marriages and the other to recognize civil unions between same-sex partners.

The disagreements over the two bills were sharp, but the daylong hearing before the Judiciary Committee, including members of both houses of the Legislature, was calm and orderly. Several people on both sides of the issue brought along toddlers and infants.

Legalizing gay marriages would grant state and federal recognition and benefits to the couples, while a civil union would bring only state recognition.

Few other states have considered legalizing gay unions. Vermont and California recently legalized same sex unions, and Hawaii is considering such legislation. Last year, Connecticut held informational hearings on the issue but produced no bill. The committee said today that it would decide on the bills within a month.

"Historically, Connecticut has been fairly progressive on the issue of gay rights," said Betty Gallo, a lobbyist for Love Makes a Family, an organization that supports marriage for same-sex couples. Connecticut was the third in the nation to pass a gay rights law in 1991. In 2000, the Co-Parent Adoption Law was passed, extending adoption rights to the same-sex partner of a child's legal parent or guardian.

At today's hearing, several who spoke in favor of the bills called the issue one of justice and equal treatment. Those opposed to same-sex marriages and unions said they "divorced marriage from morality" and were unnecessary given the myriad of individual legal rights people are free to confer through a will or power of attorney.

Bishop Peter Rosazza, who spoke on behalf of the Connecticut Catholic Conference, said same-sex unions had not passed the test of time to be deemed successful. "The change shouldn't only benefit individuals, but society," he said.

Jeffrey Busch, a New York City judge who lives in Wilton, said that he and his partner of 12 years could "jump through every legal hoop" to piece together many of the same benefits extended to married heterosexual couples but that he wonders why he should have to.