NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) – A high school production of the musical Rent that caused a stir because of its gay overtones began its limited run this week, despite a small protest by members of a baptist church in Kansas.

The slightly toned-down version of the Pulitzer-prize winning Broadway show made its debut April 24 at Corona Del Mar High School. Three members of the Westboro Baptist Church of Kansas protested outside the school on Friday, but left after they were drowned out by about 300 students and supporters of the musical.

“(Rent) is catering to the totally out-of-control youth of this nation,” said Fred Phelps Jr., the son of the founder of the church. “They’ve got no discipline, no morals. Only doom and destruction lie ahead for them.”

The musical about artists struggling to survive in New York City under the shadow of AIDS has been mired in controversy in conservative Orange County.

Corona Del Mar drama teacher Ron Martin, who selected the musical, has said Principal Fal Asrani canceled the production in mid-February after she objected to homosexuality in the story line.

Asrani has countered that she stopped the production because she hadn’t been given a chance to read over the script. The musical was reinstated later in the month after Martin gave Asrani a copy to review.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the school and the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, accusing them of allowing sexist and homophobic harassment and bullying at the school. The suit seeks unspecified damages and asks that the school be forced to take steps to redress the alleged homophobic atmosphere on campus.

DENVER (AP) – The partners of gay and lesbian state workers would be able to get health insurance coverage under a bill given initial backing by the Colorado House.

The measure, approved April 24, would add domestic partners to the list of dependents eligible for coverage. Same-sex partners who have been in a committed relationship with a state employee for at least a year would qualify.

Supporters say same-sex couples don’t have the option of getting married and it’s only fair to provide an alternative.

“They can’t get married in the state of Colorado,” said Rep. Daniel Kagan, D-Denver.

Opponents say it will be costly, and it’s unfair to heterosexual couples who are committed but not married.

“We are defining a new class of people. It’s only for same-sex couples in committed relationships,” said Rep. Kent Lambert, R-Colorado Springs.

Opponents also said it violates the will of the voters. Two years ago, voters rejected Referendum I, which would have granted domestic partner status to same-sex couples. They also passed a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

The Senate approved the bill in February. It faces a third reading in the House before it goes to the governor’s desk.

ELIZABETH, N.J. (AP) – Gay former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey will split a $135,000 pension account with ex-wife Dina Matos under terms of a consent agreement they signed.

McGreevey resigned in 2004 after proclaiming himself “a gay American” and saying he’d had an extramarital affair with a man. He and Matos divorced last August.

A Superior Court judge divided the marital assets, awarding Matos nearly $110,000.

In a statement April 22, Matos says she filed a motion in March over the pension account.

McGreevey says the account is from his time as mayor of Woodbridge and predates his marriage to Matos. He says it wasn’t part of his marital estate.

His lawyer says McGreevey agreed to share it in a spirit of conciliation.

The couple have a young daughter named Jacqueline.

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) – A Presbyterian group representing 150 central North Carolina congregations has approved a constitutional change that could result in gays serving as ministers and elders.

The News & Record of Greensboro reported that the Salem Presbytery approved the proposed change April 21. The proposed amendment would remove language from the denomination’s Book of Order that prohibits gays from serving.

The change has to be approved by a majority of the 173 presbyteries of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to be effective.

Four of the five North Carolina presbyteries have voted for the amendment.

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – A new poll finds New Jersey voters support allowing same-sex couples to marry.

The Quinnipiac University Poll results are similar to a Monmouth University poll in February.

This poll finds 49 percent supporting same-sex marriage; 43 percent are opposed. Women and whites tend to favor a same-sex marriage law, while blacks, men and those who attend religious services weekly are more likely to oppose it.

New Jersey lawmakers are likely to consider a same-sex marriage bill later this year. The state now offers same-sex couples civil unions, which offer legal benefits but not the title of marriage.

The poll of 2,222 registered New Jersey voters was conducted from April 14-20 and has a sampling error margin of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points.

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) – A bill that would give domestic partners most of the same rights as married couples has passed the Nevada Senate, but the 12-9 vote isn’t enough to survive a threatened veto by Gov. Jim Gibbons.

The bill was approved April 21 and moves on to the Assembly where it’s expected to get favorable treatment. It applies to both same-sex and straight couples.

The Republican governor told reporters last week he’d veto the measure if it reaches his desk because “I just don’t believe in it.”

A veto override would take 14 votes, a two-thirds majority.

California, Oregon, Washington and the District of Columbia have domestic-partnership laws that offer many of the benefits of marriage to same-sex couples. Hawaii, Maine and Colorado have more limited laws.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) – The Department of Veterans Affairs says a second patient exposed to dirty equipment at its hospital in Miami has tested positive for HIV.

The test result released April 24 raises to four the number of VA patients to test positive for the virus that causes AIDS as the agency investigates problems with cleaning medical equipment used for colonoscopies or ear, nose and throat exams.

Positive HIV tests have also been reported in patients at VA clinics in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Augusta, Ga.

The VA also increased the number of patients who have hepatitis C from 19 to 20.

The agency says it doesn’t yet know if the HIV and hepatitis cases are related to its treatment.

The VA has advised almost 11,000 veterans to get blood tests.

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – Attacks against transgender people could be prosecuted as hate crimes under a bill signed into law by Gov. Chris Gregoire.

Gregoire signed the measure April 22. It takes effect three months after the end of the 2009 legislative session, scheduled to adjourn Sunday.

The hate-crime definition of sexual orientation previously covered gay, straight or bisexual people. The bill signed by Gregoire adds “gender expression or identity” to the definition, making the law apply to attacks on transgender people. The bill is Senate Bill 5952.