Anti-Gays Fail to Stop Oregon Partner Law

SALEM, OR -- An attempt to stop Oregon's new same-sex domestic partnership law has failed after opponents of the law were unable to turn in enough valid signatures to block the measure.

State elections officials reported Monday that the effort fell short 116 valid signatures of the 55,179 needed to suspend the law and place it on the November 2008 ballot for a popular vote, AP reports.

When the new law takes effect Jan. 1, Oregon same-sex couple will be allowed to register and receive many of the same benefits as married couple, including inheritance rights, child-rearing and custody, joint state tax filings, joint health, auto and homeowners insurance policies, visitation rights at hospitals and others.

Oregon will join eight other states that have approved spousal rights in some form for gay couples — Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Maine, California, Washington and Hawaii. Massachusetts is the only state that allows gay couples to marry.