The state senate passes "domestic partnerships" that, according to the Oregonian, will give gay couples
all of the state benefits of marriage. It also gives them the responsibilities - including the possibility of having to pay child and partner support in the event of a dissolution.
The govenor has said he will sign the bill. We will then have ten states which give gay couples at least some marriage rights (and some, like Oregon, Connecticut and New Hampshire where the rights are equivalent to civil marriage at a state level). The biggest state, California, has passed a marriage law in its legislature.