Hey Scott? That's not what I said at all. I know you have a large readership, so I don't want to be misquoted. Also, if people are inspired to call their legislative representatives, I would hope that they tell them their opinion based on good information.

I was hoping people would support Governor Warner's revisions to the bill, as I understand them. They are written in legislative English, which isn't something I'm necessarily fluent in, but here's how the bill reads now (bold emphasis added by myself):

Affirmation of Marriage Act for the Commonwealth of Virginia States that a civil union, partnership contract or other arrangement between persons of the same sex purporting to bestow the privileges or obligations of marriage is prohibited and that such an arrangement entered into in another state or jurisdiction is void in Virginia and any contractual rights created thereby are void and unenforceable.

Here's how Governor Warner's recommendations would change the bill:

States that a civil union, between persons of the same sex purporting to bestow the privileges or obligations of marriage is prohibited and that such an arrangement entered into in another state or jurisdiction is void in Virginia.

Notice the absence of the bold print from the previous version. What this says to me is that Warner is taking out the provisions that could otherwise would prevent people from creating domestic partner benefits.

I don't know if Warner can win the civil union fight in Virginia, as I mentioned in the comment section of this journal entry by iriantuu, because I believe that the House could likely overrule Warner. The bill, HB 751, passed through the House easily the first time through by a vote of 79 to 18.