Citing the need to provide "basic fairness and protections" for thousands of same sex couples and their families across Illinois, the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois today welcomed the introduction in Springfield of House Bill 1615, the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act. The legislation, sponsored by State Representative Greg Harris of Chicago, extends the basic legal protections and responsibilities of marriage to same sex couples in Illinois. Additionally, House Bill 1615 protects all religious denominations across Illinois, reinforcing the constitutional rights of all religious organizations to determine those marriage ceremonies that denomination will recognize or perform. If adopted, Illinois joins Massachusetts as the only state recognizing same sex marriage in the United States.

"We are heartened to see that legislators in our state recognize the real harm and unfairness faced by loving, committed same sex couples," said John A. Knight, Director of the ACLU of Illinois Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Project. "Our friends, neighbors and colleagues who face the everyday challenges of life without these basic legal protections must be pleased to see this legislation introduced in the Illinois General Assembly."

The ACLU of Illinois noted that many gay and lesbian couples face heart-rending experiences at the most crucial times in a couples' life because the law currently treats them as strangers. A man from Springfield recently told an ACLU audience that he was denied the privilege of spending the night in the hospital next to his dying life partner - a privilege routinely granted to spouses. Moreover, the hospital failed to notify this man when his partner's condition took a turn for the worst, nearly causing him to miss saying goodbye as his partner took his final breaths.

"It is time for a discussion to address the many ways that our marriage laws harm committed couples and their families," added the ACLU's Knight. "The gay men and lesbians who serve as police, firefighters and in our military deserve the dignity and basic fairness of the protections and responsibilities of marriage."