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Loading ...Washington legislature expands gay partnerships
04.16.2009 9:34am EDT
(Olympia, Washington) Same-sex domestic partners would have all the rights and benefits that Washington state offers married couples under a bill passed Wednesday by the state Legislature.
The Democratic-controlled House approved the Senate-passed measure on a mostly party-line 62-35 vote after nearly two hours of debate. It next goes to Gov. Chris Gregoire, who said she will sign it into law.“Our state is one that thrives on diversity,” Gregoire, a Democrat, said in a statement. “We have to respect and protect all of the families that make up our communities.”
The bill 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 statutes range from labor and employment rights to pensions and other public employee benefits.
“This bill completes our work on domestic partnerships by making sure that we state clearly our intention to treat domestic partners in our state equally,” said Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, the bill’s sponsor and one of six gay lawmakers in the Legislature.
As of Wednesday, more than 5,200 domestic partnership registrations had been filed since July 2007.
Opponents said the measure would have a detrimental effect on traditional marriage.
“We cannot elevate the legal standing of domestic partnerships to equate with marriage and not have profound impact on the status of marriage in this state,” said Rep. Jay Rodne, R-Snoqualmie.
The underlying domestic partnership law provided hospital visitation rights, the ability to authorize autopsies and organ donations, and inheritance rights when there is no will.
Last year, lawmakers expanded that law to give domestic partners standing under laws covering probate and trusts, community property and guardianship.
“We’ve made incredible movement in a short period of time,” said Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, who spearheaded the law. “Marriage equality for gay and lesbian families is not going to happen tomorrow, but it will happen a lot sooner because of this bill.”
Same-sex marriage bills have been introduced in the Legislature before but have never had a public hearing. Murray said he expects public hearings on the issue within the next two legislative sessions.
To be registered as partners, couples must share a home, must not be married or in a domestic relationship with someone else, and be at least 18.
Joseph Fuiten, a Bothell pastor who leads the Positive Christian Agenda, a state group of Christian organizations opposed to same-sex marriage, said his group and others are weighing whether to try to get enough signatures for a ballot initiative to overturn the expanded measure.
Fuiten said he believes the law will have “severe consequences” over time.
“We won’t feel the impact as a society immediately, it’s gradual,” he said. “But we’re basically in the process of destroying the family.”
New Jersey, California, New Hampshire, Oregon, Washington and the District of Columbia have laws that either recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships that afford same-sex couples similar rights to marriage.
Iowa, Vermont, Connecticut and Massachusetts have legalized gay marriage. Same-sex marriage was legal in California for five months until a state referendum to ban it passed last fall.
Bills to allow same-sex marriage are currently before lawmakers in New Hampshire, Maine, New York and New Jersey.
Thirty states have gay marriage bans in their constitutions.
Morre progress. Now it is multiple steps forward, and some stalls.
But do youself a favor – if your church isn’t fully welcoming, and fundamentally supportive of gays – remember the ELCA, the Episcopal, the Presbyterian USA are all moving in the right direction. Things are also cooking in the Methodists churches.
But for the Catholic, Mormon, So Baptists, and most of the southern independent (disgraces to God) Christian churches – simple – to hell with them. Add in the Jewish Orthodox – assholes who forget that their forbears and cousins shared hitlers ovens with Germany’s gays. (Ps – my wife is Jewish, I’m Jewish but moving to UU, so I think I have the right to talk without being considered as anti-jew)
It aint marriage equality, folks-they get the cookies while we get the crumbs. Just ask New Jersey,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
They NEVER explain how gay marriage will have such a detrimental effect on the family because it won’t. They make the statement to cause fear in people b/c that is how they get support.
I have years of personal history with Washington state – and we should be very concerned with a ballot initiative that would overturn this victory. It would pass in Washington State. Outside of Seattle, the population isn’t much better than the Mormon influenced looloos that populate Idaho and Utah.
I haven’t been there in 7 years, so I hope I am wrong, but they are a pretty conservative bunch outside of Seattle..
Again HA!… “We won’t feel the impact as a society immediately, it’s gradual,” he said. “But we’re basically in the process of destroying the family.”….
and here I always thought a marriage brought two families together and made a Bigger, Better one?
What kind of marriage does he have?
We cannot elevate the legal standing of domestic partnerships to equate with marriage and not have profound impact on the status of marriage in this state,” said Rep. Jay Rodne, R-Snoqualmie…..D*** Right Rep… ALL COUNTRIES and ALL STATES that allow Marriage Equality have LOWER DIVORCE RATES, significantly lower.
Great news from WA. Hopefully this won’t be the end of it.
Jay Rodne is right in saying it will have a profound impact on the status of marriage in the state…in showing how unequal it is to have two different categories depending on who you are. But we will soon have one category called marriage for all people because it will just make sense and we all know it. Step by step…
Thanks Washington.
The only “profound impact” is that Gay couples and their kids will be more secure & happy. Gay youth will not feel damaged. And the “Christians” will have to find a new group to hate or look at their own problems.
Divorce and not being responsible about sex is the real threat to kids and families.
Tom in Long Beach
“We cannot elevate the legal standing of domestic partnerships to equate with marriage and not have profound impact on the status of marriage in this state,”
OK, So what EXACTLY will this profound effect be, the one that will destroy marraiges and tear them asunder? No esoteric BS about the “Meaning” of marraige. All of us smart people know that a meaning isn’t going to do squat to a marraige much less destroy it.
Come on Rep. Jay Rodne, R-Snoqualmie, I want an answer, come on… What you don’t have one? Your a pussy Representitive Rodne
Way to go WA! DPs were the first step, and this is the second. The third will surely come.
I’ve lost track of all our gains in the past few weeks. How many does this make?
“We won’t feel the impact as a society immediately, it’s gradual,” he said. “But we’re basically in the process of destroying the family.”
This is ridiculous. If anything, stronger civil unions and marriage equality strengthens families. It validates and creates families. The arguments against marriage equality change so often it is dizzying. “It will destroy the family. It negates traditional marriage.” Didn’t traditional marriage have a lot to do with money and property ownership (the bride being part of the property)? “It is about procreation.” So, are all those married folk without kids going to have their marriages dissolved?
No argument holds water. Marriage equality (or temporary full benefit civil unions with the aim to convert them to full marriages) is the only fair, just and dare I say it – American thing to do.
Why do these people continue to say that all benefits for same sex couples will have a detrimental effect on traditional marriage and destroy the family. That is just amazing to me.