The arrest of Governor Rod Blagojevich yesterday may have been the final nail in the coffin for a proposal to allow civil unions between same-sex couples in Illinois. The bill, the Illinois Religious Freedom and Civil Unions Act, was first introduced in February of 2007 and has been stalled in the state legislature ever since. Now time is running out for the bill, as the current General Assembly will expire at the end of the year. With only two remaining legislative days left, some political watchers say it is unlikely that the proposal will gain traction as the state tackles a growing budget crisis that so far includes a $2 billion deficit. more ›