Happenings in Pittsburgh!! (Penn: work, community, transportation)

[guylocke]

A surprising and new city council proposal (which has thus far not caused any surmountable negative reaction) will broaden the relationship boundaries and give domestic partnership status to cohabitating families (including same-sex couples). The proposal was modeled after similiar acts that were passed in Seattle and Philadelphia.

UPDATE: This proposal passed today with a 7-1 vote.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by guylocke

UPDATE: This proposal passed today with a 7-1 vote.

Great!

[PeterRabbit]

What is the benefit of having domestic partnership status?

[londonbarcelona]

Originally Posted by guylocke

For those of you who may have missed it (how could you?), as of this past week, smoking is now banned in nearly all public spaces across the state. There are a few stipulations that you can find listed elsewhere. I know smoking will still be permitted in I believe 50% of Casino space, bars that attribute less than 20% of their sales in food, private clubs, and in no more than 25% of hotel room space.

Smoking ban becomes law in Pa. - UPI.com

About time......

[COPANUT]

Originally Posted by guylocke

For those of you who may have missed it (how could you?), as of this past week, smoking is now banned in nearly all public spaces across the state. There are a few stipulations that you can find listed elsewhere. I know smoking will still be permitted in I believe 50% of Casino space, bars that attribute less than 20% of their sales in food, private clubs, and in no more than 25% of hotel room space.

Smoking ban becomes law in Pa. - UPI.com

It's a joke. They ban it in small Mom and Pop taverns, but it's OK in the Casinos. Someone got paid off, as usual.

[londonbarcelona]

Originally Posted by COPANUT

It's a joke. They ban it in small Mom and Pop taverns, but it's OK in the Casinos. Someone got paid off, as usual.

That's pretty much the way it is throughout the US as far as casinos are concerned. Especially those owned by the Indians.

[COPANUT]

Originally Posted by londonbarcelona

That's pretty much the way it is throughout the US as far as casinos are concerned. Especially those owned by the Indians.

So, once again, small biz gets screwed. When they finally open Mr. Barden's Northide Casino all the video poker machines in M & P bars will be illegal, but this time enforced and removed. EVERYONE should be able to purchase a slot machine and dictate if they want smoking allowed in their establishment.

[guylocke]

What is the benefit of having domestic partnership status?

There are plenty. For same-sex couples, it's all they have. If they couldn't become domestic partners, the courts would consider them nothing but strangers and they could have spent their entire lives together.

For example, without domestic partnerships, gay couples wouldn't be able to make any medical decisions for their significant other, they would have no legal visitation rights, they would have no legal inheritance, one may have no medical insurance or health coverage (if only the one partner worked), etc.

It's a big deal for gay couples. Of course, it also includes most any two people who live and share their lives together, whether it would be sexually or platonic makes no difference. It is essentially a declaration of responsibility for the other party involved, and of course, the rights that also come with that responsibility.

[COPANUT]

I'm all for a legal status for same sex couples, hey, why should we breeders suffer alone? But mainly for economic reasons. Same sex benefits provided by a company that would not offer them to a male/female unmarried couple always honked me off. I can only imagine were I in my 20's and had a good buddy out of work with no medical insurance I would probably sign him up with me.

So, I think it's a good decision all around.

[guylocke]

Not to beat a dead horse, but the Pittsburgh partner registry was signed into law by mayor Luke Ravenstahl yesterday during the gay-pride parade where 5,000 people marched from 80 different organizations across the region.

The mayor could have just as easily privately signed the proposal in the comfort of his own office but I believe by using the gay pride festival he clearly demonstrated a commitment and a respect for the gay commuity, of which, this proposal was essentially passed for. Kudos to him and to Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl used the city's gay pride festival to sign into law legislation creating a partner registry for people living together in committed relationships.

Pride organizers said a record crowd turned out for the parade down Liberty Avenue, the street made famous by the American version of "***** As Folk".

Pittsburgh Mayor Signs Partner Registry Law