The Affordable Care Act (Tea Party translation: "Obamacare") is finally giving our healthcare system an overdue overhaul. But some of the updates to healthcare and provider responsibilities will be left behind in the renovation, particularly HIV/AIDS confidentiality. California state Senator Mark Leno is aiming to change that. 

It might be purely symbolic, but the act of love introduced into the Texas legislature by state Rep. Lon Burnam. Details follow. 

The Uniting American Families Act—legislation that seeks to allow gay and lesbian Americans to sponsor their international partners for U.S. residency—was reintroduced into Congress on Tuesday. For the first time in the bill's history, the reintroduction included support from GOP lawmakers in the form of co-sponsors Reps. Richard Hanna (NY) and Charlie Dent (PA). 

Joining Illinois and Rhode Island in their 2013 marriage equality efforts is Minnesota, which will see a same-sex marriage bill introduced later this week according to a new report.

This just in from Equality Illinois: marriage equality bills will be reintroduced into the state General Assembly today at the start of the new session. 

Rhode Island lawmakers have wasted no time in kicking off the 2013 legislative calendar by announcing the introduction of a marriage equality bill in the General Assembly. Details follow. 

As expected (and hoped), folks on the right side of history will push to extend marriage rights to same sex couples in Minnesota in 2013. The move comes after the landmark defeat of a constitutional ban on marriage equality at the November polls. Details on what to expect next after the jump!

Following the lead of California's ban on "ex gay therapy," Rep. Jackie Speiers (San Francisco/San Mateo) will introduce the Stop Harming Our Kids resolution into the U.S. House early Wednesday. Details follow. 

Like in the pre-DADT-repeal army, "I'm gay" is sometimes all it takes to get out of serving on a jury. But a new bill introduced into the U.S. Senate by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen seeks to put an end to anti-gay discrimination often wielded during the jury selection process. 

It appeared to be quite smooth sailing for efforts to overturn Illinois law restricting marriage to opposite-sex couples only at first. But times have changed (as in we've traveled back a decade) as the saga has finally found its turbulent villian in the form of State Rep. David Reis. Details follow. 

Updated Wednesday, 3:20 p.m. EST

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has chimed in on the marriage equality legislation three openly-gay state lawmakers introduced last week. So, what does Gov. Quinn have to say about the "issue" that might *fingers crossed* head his way?

Rep. Mike Reynolds (R-Oklahoma City) has authored and introduced a bill into the state's legislature that will reinstate "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" for the Oklahoma National Guard "at response of request from servicemembers" (or so says the lawmaker). Details follow.