Quinn to sign civil union legislation today

It began with a feeling of concern, and turned quickly to anger.

Several years ago, Terry Merritt's partner, August Ziemann, was hurt in a head-on car crash shortly before Christmas.

Ziemann didn't appear to be hurt seriously, but Merritt took him to a hospital for care. Once his partner was admitted, Merritt stepped out briefly to make a phone call for work.

When he returned, a nurse wouldn't allow Merritt back into Ziemann's room.

Only family was allowed.

“Who are you, telling me I can't see somebody I spend my life with?” Merritt said he told the nurse.

Under current Illinois law, same-sex partners like the Elgin couple don't qualify as family members.

A civil union — a legal agreement that gives unmarried partners many of the same rights and benefits as married couples — changes that.

Gov. Pat Quinn plans to sign civil unions into Illinois law Monday afternoon, and it will take effect this summer. But craving many of the same rights married couples enjoy, some suburban gay couples started planning their ceremonies months ago.

Merritt said he wanted a simple ceremony at first.

“Now, with family and friends who want to be there, it's turning into a very large event,” he said.

Quinn is planning his own large event to sign the legislation today at the Chicago Cultural Center, taking the somewhat unusual step of announcing the signing a week in advance and inviting the public to observe.

State Rep. Greg Harris of Chicago, who sponsored the law, said the response has been tremendous.

“It's not a question of will they fit in the room, it's a question of will they fit in the building,” Harris said of attendees at today's event. “Never in our wildest dream did we figure that this would happen.”

Quinn's signature comes on the heels of several other states approving either gay marriage or civil unions and a move toward gay rights in Illinois, too.

In 2005, lawmakers and then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich approved legislation outlawing discrimination against homosexuals in employment and housing matters.

The following year, domestic partner benefits were extended to gay and lesbian state employees.

Then, last December, during the House floor debate before a vote on the legislation, supporters pointed to the gradual end of discrimination throughout history against women and minorities as a reason why gay couples should have similar legal rights that heterosexual couples do.

Still, opponents of civil unions remain steadfast in their belief that the approval of civil unions is just one step toward gay marriage. In recent years, proposed Illinois constitutional amendments outlawing gay marriage have been filed, but they've never been voted on under Democratic leadership.

David E. Smith, executive director of the Illinois Family Institute, said he's not counting on being able to turn the coming civil unions law around.

In Illinois, lawmakers wanting to repeal civil unions would face the same all-but-impossible hurdle faced by those wanting to repeal the recent income-tax increase: The Democratic leaders who only recently secured the law's passage are still in control of the legislature.

Smith says he thinks gay-rights supporters should look to Iowa, where judges who ruled to allow gay marriage were ousted from their posts by voters in the most recent election.

“There were political consequences for their decision,” Smith said.

He plans to work toward the same political outcome in Illinois. The political arm of his organization is already distributing fliers criticizing lawmakers who voted for civil unions.

Still, with civil unions to be Illinois law soon, couples aren't waiting around to see what happens.

David Foxx of Carpentersville said he and his partner plan to get a license on the first possible day in June. Then, a full ceremony will follow. They're still deciding how to handle the traditional bridesmaid and groomsmen lineups.

“What does that look like?” he said.

A civil union might appear, on some levels, to work exactly like a marriage.

Gay or straight couples interested in obtaining a civil union will fill out a form together and pay a fee, before being provided with a license and certificate.

The civil union is then certified by a judge or religious minister, though the legislation specifically states that religious practice will not be interfered with.

Civil unions would give couples many of the same benefits as marriage — adoption rights, emergency health care decisions and estate planning decisions among them.

There are some exceptions.

Couples with legally recognized civil unions would be unable to file joint income tax returns.

One partner can sponsor another to become an American citizen in a marriage, but not under civil unions.

To apply for a civil union, both partners must be at least age 18 and cannot be related. Individuals cannot be involved in another marriage or civil union at the time of application.

Gay couples showing they were married out of state would automatically be recognized as having civil unions in Illinois, an analysis by the legal group Lambda Legal said.

Ending a civil union is much like getting a divorce and must meet the grounds for dissolution as set forth in the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution Act.

Cook County Clerk David Orr, a longtime supporter of gay marriage, said he is looking forward to issuing the first civil union licenses on June 1. “It will be a thrill to finally take this historic step toward equal rights,” Orr said. Until then, his office is busy creating the new licenses, updating accounting and record keeping systems, and editing the website and printed materials.

And Harris advises patience as the new law goes into effect.

“There's going to be a learning curve for people to understand how all of this is going to work,” Harris said, advising couples who plan to apply for civil unions to keep their personal documents, including wills and power of trustee, up to date.

“They need to not take for granted, if they're traveling in another part of the state, that someone would automatically be able to access the right legal documents. After awhile it will become second nature.”