[MsTinkerbelly]

West Virginia legislator introduces civil unions bill
By Jacob Combs

Delegate John Doyle, a Democrat, has introduced a bill in the West Virginia House to provide gay and lesbian couples with the same legal rights and protections as their heterosexual counterparts. The AP reports:

Delegate John Doyle says he introduced the bill Thursday to start a conversation about family equality. The Jefferson County Democrat says that gay and lesbian couples should have the same safety net to deal with the death of a parent or the loss of a job as married couples.

Fairness WV, which advocates on behalf of the gay, lesbian and transgender community, says this is the first time a civil union bill has been introduced in the West Virginia Legislature.

Doyle also sponsored a bill that would prohibit workplace and housing discrimination based on sexual orientation. That bill has not advanced since it was introduced