Domestic partnership bill seeks financial security for all Washington families

OLYMPIA – State lawmakers today introduced a measure to help registered domestic partners laws achieve financial security.

Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, and Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, say that their legislation will expand both rights and responsibilities for domestic partners, such as community property, probate protections, joint responsibility for debts and protection from having to sell the family home to pay for nursing home costs.

“These couples have built loving families and lives together, and they deserve the financial security and rights that married couples have,” Murray said. “This legislation still doesn’t provide true marriage equality but it’s another significant move forward.”

“Last year the domestic partnership was just an idea,” Pedersen said. “Now the registry provides basic protections for the families of more than 6,000 people across the state. We plan to keep pushing until all of those families – and all families in our state – are treated equally.”

Both Murray and Pedersen led on the successful 2007 legislation that created the state domestic partnership registry with the Secretary of State. So far, approximately 3,250 couples have registered, from all of the state’s 49 legislative districts. Nearly ten percent of the couples are different-sex couples, including the oldest couple — a 94 year-old man and 90 year-old woman.

Murray’s bill in the Senate, SB 6716, where 25 votes are needed for passage, has 26 members signed on as sponsors. Pedersen’s companion bill in the House, HB 3104, where 50 votes are needed for passage, has 58 members signed on as sponsors.

“Equal rights for our state’s gay and lesbian community is work that is ongoing. It’s important that we keep the momentum for this movement going forward, and this legislation does that,” Sen. Joe McDermott, D-Seattle, said.

“Nothing is more personal and more intimate than the decision between two human beings to commit themselves to one another,” Rep. Jim Moeller, D-Vancouver, said. “Gay marriage already for several years has been legal in Canada and in many European countries. Clearly, this train has left the station. This year’s legislation simply keeps Washington on the track.”

The legislation also provides domestic partners with end-of-life rights and legal protections, including provisions on nursing home visits, veteran’s benefits and spousal testimonial privileges — protections that married couples currently have. Public officials with domestic partners will be responsible for reporting financial information about their domestic partners.

“Sponsoring this year’s expansion of the rights and obligations defined under domestic partnerships is an honor for me,” said Rep. Marko Liias, D-Mukilteo, who’s serving his first session, “and I promise to continue fighting for equality in Washington.”

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