Supporters celebrate passage of gay rights bill

Bill became law after Assembly overrode governor’s veto

Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Sun

Charlie Stron hugs his partner, Ricardo Rose, while listening to state Sen. David Parks speak during a domestic partnership celebration Thursday at the Rio. Stron and Rose plan to be among the first in line to register for their domestic partnership on Oct. 1, the day of their four-year anniversary.

By Jinae West (contact)

Friday, June 26, 2009 | 2:02 a.m.

Domestic Partner Registry Act celebration

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Power, luck, finesse bring gay rights win (6-5-2009)
With veto override, domestic partners bill becomes law (5-31-2009)
Gibbons' veto of rights for gay couples appears safe (5-28-2009)
Search is on for votes to beat Gibbons' domestic partner veto (5-27-2009)
Gibbons vetoes domestic partnerships bill (5-25-2009)
Committee approves gay rights partnership bill (5-12-2009)
Assembly panel advances gay discrimination bill (5-1-2009)
Senate advances bill to give rights to gay couples (4-21-2009)
Gay rights group requests meeting with Gibbons (4-15-2009)
Gibbons says he won't sign domestic partners bill (4-14-2009)
Domestic partnership legislation advances (4-9-2009)
Bill to extend rights to same-sex couples advances (4-8-2009)
Bill would give gays same rights as married couples (3-16-2009)

The gay and lesbian community and supporters on Thursday celebrated the passage of a bill granting gay couples the same legal rights as married couples, providing they register with the secretary of state starting Oct. 1.

Five groups — the American Civil Liberties Union, the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada, the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, Stand Out for Equality and the Human Rights Campaign — gathered at the Rio to celebrate last month’s passage of Senate Bill 283.

Tod Story, public and community affairs director for the Gay and Lesbian Community Center, said about 750 people were expected to attend.

He called the passage of the Domestic Partner Registry Act — which passed May 31 after the Assembly overrode Gov. Jim Gibbons’ veto — a “hard-fought victory” and one that personally affects him.

Story said he and his partner will have been together 17 years in August. They had considered going to California to get married before Proposition 8 passed but decided to stay in Nevada, he said.

“We said, ‘You know what? Let’s wait and see if we can’t get something done here, because then it’s our home, it’s our state, and we’ll do it for ourselves,’” he said.

Story said the new Nevada law will grant him and his partner the rights, protections and the ability to make decisions about health care, property and other family issues.

“This bill, just by signing a piece of paper, makes that all happen,” he said.

Ricardo Rose and Charlie Stron said they plan to register as domestic partners on Oct. 1, which also happens to be the first day they met nearly four years ago.

Although they said they’re both happy about the new law, Stron said there is still a lot of work to be done.

“I personally feel like it still makes you a second-class citizen in Nevada, because we really would have preferred to have legal gay marriage. But it’s a step in the right direction,” Stron said. “So we’re all for that.”

Rose said it was great “to get a new validation, a new acknowledgment of something that is really dear.”

“Especially when you’re in love,” Stron added, smiling.

Speakers at the event included Julianna Ormsby of the Nevada’s Women’s Lobby; Jan Gilbert, co-founder of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada; Gary Peck, executive director of the ACLU; Jan Jones, former Las Vegas mayor and senior vice president of Harrah’s Entertainment; and state Sen. David Parks, D-Las Vegas, who sponsored the bill.

He, as well as Jones and Ormsby, received standing ovations.

All advocated furthering progress in equality.

Jones said the bill “is just the first step in a very long battle. If we stay focused, if we work together, if we believe, we won’t just win 283, we’ll win it all.”

During his turn at the microphone, Peck assured the crowd they were on the right side of history. He said he hopes his 4-year-old daughter will come to view the injustices that gays and lesbians face today as incomprehensible as the racial injustices that occurred in his lifetime.

“The tide isn’t turning,” Peck said. “The tide has turned.”

Discussion: 12 comments so far…

By LVPaco

6/26/09 at 5:37 a.m.

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Thank you -
State Senator David Parks & Bob Coffin, Harrah's Entertainment, Jan Jones, PLAN of Nevada, ACLU of Nevada, Nevada Women's Lobby, HRC, Billy Vassiliadis-R&R Partners, Equality Days, LGBT Center of Southern Nevada and so many more that demonstrated REAL leadership...

Equality is happening and we are making it happen... It was a magical night...
By David1961

6/26/09 at 10:08 a.m.

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If this ain't a picture up top to make a person, not walk, but RUN straight to church and beg G-d to forgive their personal sinfulness I don't know what is....
By syfredrick

6/26/09 at 11:58 a.m.

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A big, wonderful step on the way to equality. Something worth celebrating indeed. I wish I could be there.
By KillerB

6/26/09 at 12:26 p.m.

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David1961 -- then you have a skewed opinion about pictures.

And since one has to be christian to sin, your god and your church are irrelevant here.
By LasVegas2009

6/26/09 at 12:51 p.m.

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David1961 Yes you do need to run not walk to church and beg God to forgive you for passing judgements on other people. So you are saying that GOD made a mistake when God made these people gay? You my friend really should read that bible you keep thumping. Im sure God is not happy with you condemning his creation.
By formervegas76

6/26/09 at 1:04 p.m.

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david, i don't want anything to do with your god. amazing the hate in people. the culture of the so called moral wing of republican party has caused this country such terrible divide. pass judgement on everyone but themselves.
By ItsMySoapBox

6/26/09 at 1:28 p.m.

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FINALLY... we will have a public record accessible to anyone of who is gay or lesbian.
By ksand99

6/26/09 at 1:58 p.m.

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What a great achievement and a great step towards full equality! Congrats, everyone!
By markp

6/26/09 at 2:07 p.m.

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david1961 your bible has prostitutes in it...

biblebashers have a warped sense of right and wrong, wonder why? After all the bible does not preach like these biblebashers do...

maybe we stand outside churches and protest about them being there!!!!
By castle

6/26/09 at 4:44 p.m.

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But it is such fun and great satisfaction to "TELL" other people what they should and should not do in their lives. Kind of makes you feel so much superior since you know what is "right and wrong" and all the other people don't and need you to tell them. Kind of like what our elected representatives try all the time.
By Nick

6/26/09 at 7:57 p.m.

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Good move Nevada
By bdover

6/27/09 at 12:22 a.m.

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This is so wonderful. We'll have a celebration at the Eagle, off of Tropicana on "underwear night" next Wednesday. We are so excited. Please bring your HIV card.

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