City To Offer Same-Sex Marriage Blood Tests
Health Officials To Offer Service
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Cambridge will begin offering premarital blood tests on May 5 to gay couples who plan to wed after the May 17 court-ordered legalization of same-sex marriages.

The city public health department will schedule tests for any residents statewide from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on May 5 and 6, May 12 and 13, and May 19 and 20.

"It is our obligation to make these services available to gay and lesbian couples so they don't experience additional obstacles in exercising their right to marry," Harold Cox, the city's chief public health officer, said in a statement.


~

Council to weigh in on gay marriage
Gays want members to oppose constitutional amendment
By Greg Avery, Camera Staff Writer
Boulder gays and lesbians are urging the City Council to oppose a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and to encourage the county to allow same-sex couples to marry.

At a hearing last week, Boulder's Human Relations Commission members unanimously condemned a ban on same-sex marriage as clear discrimination against homosexuals.

It requested that the City Council do the same and also formally ask the county to issue marriage licenses to homosexual couples.

The council is expected to take up the commission's request in late May or early June.


~

Anti-violence group sees more targeting of gays
By Kirk Mitchell
Violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Colorado spiked last year to 151 incidents following national news about sodomy laws and gay marriage issues, an anti-violence group reports.

The Colorado Anti-Violence Program reported Wednesday that most of the increase in bias-motivated violence happened in the second half of 2003 in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down a Texas sodomy law and the Massachusetts Supreme Court decisions concerning the legality of same-sex marriage.

"Visibility equals targeting," said Denise de Percin, executive director of the Colorado Anti-Violence Program.

But the group counts 52 arrests of people in Adams County parks in November who were charged with indecent exposure and unlawful sexual contact following sting operations.



~

Romney looks to Senate to delay gay marriages
By Thor Jourgensen
LYNN -- Gov. Mitt Romney on Wednesday said questions remain over preparations by city and town clerks to issue marriage licenses to gay couples beginning May 17.

     Romney told The Daily Item there is little chance he will be able to delay licenses unless the state Senate supports a delay.

     "This is my remaining best option. I can't just issue an order against clerks issuing licenses," he said.
     State officials have told justices of the peace they must marry gay couples or they will be asked to resign. They have told clerks they must not marry out-of-state gay couples who are not permitted to marry in their home states.

~

Maneuver allows revisiting of same-sex marriage
By JOHN L. PETTERSON The Kansas City Star
TOPEKA — After soundly rejecting a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages last month, the Senate on Wednesday set the stage for another attempt at putting the issue on the ballot.

Today, a House-Senate negotiating committee will meet to consider proposing a new constitutional amendment that would be sent to the Senate floor for another vote.

Also today, the Senate has scheduled a debate on legislation to allow casino-style gambling in Kansas. The bill would allow a handful of destination casinos. Electronic video machines, similar to slot machines, would be permitted at state-licensed racetracks and clubs operated by fraternal and veterans organizations.

Senate President Dave Kerr, a Hutchinson Republican, predicted that the traditional Senate opposition to expanded gambling was unchanged and that the bill would be rejected.


~

Members Of Congress Get Mother's Day Visits From Gay Families
by Paul Johnson
365Gay.com Newscenter

(Washington, D.C.)  Members of Congress today will be reminded that Mother's Day and Father's Day includes gay families. Hundreds of PFLAG members will lobby Capitol Hill and congressional offices in districts across the country.

The key message they want to give their representatives in Washington to hear is that a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage hurts everyone -- especially children.

But, the group also will press for passage of the Local Law Enforce Enhancement Act, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Permanent Partners Immigration Act and the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act.

In addition to vigorously campaigning on these issues, the parents will share photos of their GLBT loved ones to put a human face on the issues that are often argued in abstractions in the hallowed halls of Congress.