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St. Paul, Minn.

Advocates push bill to expand rights for same-sex couples

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Same-sex couples would receive equal treatment during an illness or death under legislation introduced in the Minnesota House and Senate.

The so-called Final Wishes Bill would ensure that a surviving partner has control of their loved one's remains for cremation or burial.

The measure is being pushed by Project 515, an organization named for the number of state laws it's identified as discriminatory to same-sex couples.

Spokeswoman Laura Smidzik said the Project 515 proposal is separate from another bill aimed at legalizing same-sex marriage.

"Our belief is that Minnesotans have a very broad perspective on the marriage issue and equal rights issue. And so what we're responding to is in our mind the sense that Minnesotans believe in fairness, and we're taking an incremental step at that," Smidzik said.

Senator Yvonne Prettner Solon, D-Duluth, said the bill is necessary to ensure equal and fair protections for all Minnesota families.