Over the weekend, Margaret Anderson Kelliher was endorsed by DFL activists as the party’s pick for governor. Kelliher has vowed to sign legislation legalize same-sex marriage in Minnesota. She will face off against Stonewall DFL-endorsed Matt Entenza, as well as former Sen. Mark Dayton in the August primary.
Here’s where she stands on LGBT issues:
Margaret is a strong supporter of marriage equality for all Minnesotans. She will work to advance this legislation, and as governor, sign it into law.
As Speaker, Margaret passed legislation that provides surviving same-sex partners the right to remain in their home until he or she dies, before the state could seek reimbursement in the form of a lien against the estate to recoup medical expenses for their deceased partner.
Margaret also supported the Health Care Securities Act that provides health care coverage for all Minnesota children, regardless of their parent’s marital status.
Margaret worked to pass legislation that would provide same-sex partners greater access to medical information and allow individuals to designate a same-sex partner to make decisions about medical care if their partner is unable to make decisions for themselves.
Margaret authored the Safe Schools for All bill that would have required school districts to have policies prohibiting harassment, violence, and bullying of any kind.
Margaret authored the “Final Wishes” bill to provide same-sex partners the automatic right to control their partner’s remains after death, and she co-authored a bill to allow a surviving same-sex partner to sue the person responsible for wrongful death and recover medical and funeral expenses. This legislation seeks to promote the right to honor the final wishes of partners and to sue in cases of wrongful death.
Margaret worked to provide domestic partner benefits for state employees by including these benefits in omnibus funding bills, but these provisions were vetoed by Governor Pawlenty, who voiced his opposition to the benefits.
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