Connecticut has joined Vermont in offering its lgbt citizens the option to enter into Civil Unions. Connecticut governor M. Jodi Rell signed Senate bill s.S..B. 963 into law on April 20, 2005. The law will go into effect October 1, 2005.

The bill specifies that the rights it extends to civil union partners may derive under statute, administrative regulations or court rules, policy, common law, or any other source of civil law. Generally, these fall into the following categories:

1. family law, including marriage, divorce, and support;

2. title, tenure, descent and distribution, intestate succession, wills, survivorships, or other incidents of the acquisition, ownership, or transfer (during life or at death) of real or personal property;

3. state and municipal taxation;

4. probate courts and procedure;

5. group insurance for government (but not private-sector) employees;

6. family leave benefits;

7. financial disclosure and conflict-of-interest rules;

8. protection against discrimination based on marital status;

9. emergency and non-emergency medical care and treatment, hospital visitation and notification, and authority to act in matters affecting family members;

10. state public assistance benefits;

11. workers’ compensation;

12. crime victims’ rights;

13. marital privileges in court proceedings; and

14. vital records and absentee voting procedures.

You can read the complete act here.