Same-sex couples could form domestic partnerships and receive dozens of the same legal benefits as married people under a proposal by Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle.
Supporters say it’s a step forward for gay and lesbian couples who would get the right to visit one another in hospitals, make each other’s end-of-life decisions and inherit their partner’s homes and cars.
But critics question whether the plan, which Doyle included in his two-year state budget proposal, conflicts with a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. One conservative group promised a lawsuit if it is approved.