Domestic partnership bill clears first Senate hurdle

OLYMPIA – Legislation expanding rights and responsibilities to domestic partners passed the Senate Government Operations & Elections Committee today and now moves one step closer to a vote by the full senate.

With 25 other senators signed on as co-sponsors, Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 6716, says he’s hopeful the measure will pass the legislature, but until it does, remains focused on working to ensure its passage.

“This bill is another necessary step toward giving couples who have built loving families and lives together legal protections and financial security that married couples are entitled to. Lesbian and gay couples deserve to be treated equally — with not only rights, but with responsibilities as well,” Murray said.

Murray’s bill expands both rights and responsibilities for registered 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.

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 protections that married couples currently have. It also requires partners of elected officials to report certain information required of married couples.

Murray was a leader of 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.

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