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Loading ...Wa. gov. signs partner bill
05.18.2009 3:20pm EDT
(Seattle, Washington) Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire on Monday signed legislation granting domestic partners almost all of the state rights of married spouses.
“They will make for stronger families, and when we have stronger families, we have a stronger Washington state,” Gregoire said as she put her pen to the document.The legislation makes domestic partnerships equal to marriage in areas of community property, guardianship and powers of attorney. It allows partners the right to refuse to testify against partners in court. And it provides the same remedies as married couples to end a relationship, including the division of property.
The legislation expands on previous domestic partnership laws by adding reference to partnerships alongside all remaining areas of state law where currently only married couples are mentioned.
The domestic partner law was enacted after the state Supreme Court in 2006 upheld Washington’s so-called Defense of Marriage Act that limits marriage to opposite-sex couples.
The court cited the argument that marriage was designed for the procreation of children. But the court noted the legislature could overturn the law or amend it to include gay pairs.
Since July 2007 when the original domestic partner law went into effect, more than 5,000 couples have registered as domestic partners.
Under the law, partners must be 18 or order and not already married or in a domestic relationship with someone else. The law also requires that couples share a home and be financially dependent up one another. It also allows opposite-sex couples to register if one partner is at least 62 years old.
But opponents of the law already have started a bid to overturn the measure.
The Washington Values Alliance filed paperwork earlier this month to begin the referendum process. They need to get more than 120,500 voter signatures by July 25 to qualify for the November ballot.
How can a referendum process exist in a civil rights case?
Having grown up, and lived most of my life in Washington state, I can tell you they WILL get the signatures they need for a referendum by July. The western part of the state may be blue, but the eastern side bleeds red.
I appreciate the efforts of the Governor, and and happy to see the steps forward, but the vote will not go our way.
As we used to say in the 60’s…. better dead than red…..
People should be ashamed they find anything but equal treatment acceptable. Anything else should not be tolerated.
Gregoire is a hypocrite. On NPR she was saying how there are no differences between gay and straight couples, while signing a bill which says that we are different under law. Until it is marriage it is not equality.
Well Its not called officially “MARRIAGE” just yet, but we all KNOW that’s what it REALLY is and it WILL be within the next 5 years by same name!!
You keep saddling up the horse eventually he will break and let you ride!
So Great Job WA, and Gov. Gregoire!
Coming from a state ruled by Christian Right Wing, Nazi(s), Ignorant Bigot “Christian” Blacks, etc. (the south) can’t even get a piece of TOILET PAPER with mine and my partners name written on it, therefore a “civil union” or “domestic partnership” is an nice effort!
Best of Luck to all those in MARRIAGE EQULALITY and Something that Resembles Marriage. Don’t forget about helping us po’folks in all the other backwards States.