now, new jersey allows civil unions. that confers all the i think it confers all the legal rights of marriage, but we re going to talk to somebody who knows more about this than i do. and four western states, california, oregon, washington, and nevada grants same rights to couples. and maine, the state legalized gay marriage in may of 09 but it was banned. voters overturned it in november of 09. in california, the state supreme court approved gay marriage in may of 2008, but six months later voters passed proposition 8, and barred it. the federal trial on that matter is under way in california right now. so, all this brings me to our guests right now, the human rights campaign is devoted to gay and lesbian issues and devoted to it in washington.