News Oly Action: Domestic Partners Bill Passes the House
posted by on February 15 at 15:43 PM
Rep. Jamie Pedersen’s (D-43, Capitol Hill) bill to expand domestic partners’ rights (and responsibilities!) passed the House today 62-32.
Last year, the state created a domestic partnership registry and granted about 23 of the rights that married couples have, including hospital visitation and allowing partners to give informed consent in medical decisions, make funeral arrangements, and inherit property in the absence of a will.
This year’s bill would add about 174 more rights (there are 480 total). Some of the new rights in this year’s bill are the right to go to family court when dissolving a partnership, the right to transfer property between partners without paying real estate excise taxes, the right to share nursing home rooms and private nursing home visits, and the right to exclude your house as an asset when applying for Medicaid funding for nursing home residency.
Two unfriendly amendments, one to put the issue to a referendum and one confirming the state’s belief in the institution of marriage, failed.
Now, it’s off to the Senate side.
P.s.
Meanwhile, there are 3,247 registered domestic partnerships in the state right now (since the law passed last year). And there are couples in every legislative district in the state including places like Monroe (39 couples), Yakima (9 couples) and Wenatchee (17).
Seattle leads the way, of course, with 1,101 couples registered—where 52% of the couples are gay and 45% are lesbian. (2% are hetero senior couples). Statewide, lesbians make up 53% of the registered couples while gay men make up 39% of the couples.
My two fave gals got their cards in the mail yesterday - they sent the paperwork in like a week before - it was a happy valentine's gift from the Secretary of State's office! Go li'l Jamie go!
Hurrah! Am I correct in assuming that homosexual couples are now considered just more than two-fifths of a heterosexual couple (197 rights out of 480)? If so, this is superb news. At this rate, homosexual couples will be valued more than a slave next year!
Has Dan done it yet? Or is he avoiding it so he has something to complain about?
hey, do you have the voting list of the house? i'd like to see how it was split up. thanks
Have I missed Dan's apology on Jamie Pedersen? I got the one on the Iraq war.
2SHB 3104
Domestic partnerships
House vote on Final Passage
2/15/2008
Yeas: 62 Nays: 32 Absent: 0 Excused: 4
Voting Yea: Representatives Appleton, Barlow, Blake, Chase, Clibborn, Cody, Conway, Darneille, Dickerson, Dunshee, Eddy, Eickmeyer, Ericks, Fromhold, Goodman, Grant, Green, Haigh, Hankins, Hasegawa, Hudgins, Hunt, Hunter, Hurst, Jarrett, Kagi, Kelley, Kenney, Kessler, Kirby, Lantz, Liias, Linville, Loomis, McCoy, McIntire, Moeller, Morrell, Morris, Nelson, O'Brien, Ormsby, Pedersen, Pettigrew, Quall, Roberts, Rolfes, Santos, Seaquist, Sells, Simpson, Sommers, Springer, Sullivan, Takko, Upthegrove, Van De Wege, Wallace, Walsh, Williams, Wood, and Mr. Speaker Chopp
Voting Nay: Representatives Ahern, Alexander, Anderson, Armstrong, Bailey, Campbell, Chandler, Condotta, Crouse, DeBolt, Dunn, Ericksen, Haler, Herrera, Hinkle, Kretz, Kristiansen, McCune, McDonald, Miloscia, Newhouse, Orcutt, Pearson, Priest, Roach, Rodne, Ross, Schindler, Schmick, Smith, Sump, and Warnick
Absent:
Excused: Representatives Flannigan, Hailey, Schual-Berke, and Skinner
aislinn -- watch out!
I remember all the crapola the Stranger put out about electing Jamie, too cutsie by ten, and bad political analysis.
On well, and as I remember, SGN got it right. Jamie is doing a fantastic job.
(yes, I work at SGN)
John, your use of "cutsie" @8 convinces me that you do indeed work at SGN. Well done!
Looking at the roll call, Mark Miloscia (D-Federal Way) was the only Dem who voted no.
A quick check of his bio reveals that he's a native of Biloxi, Mississippi. Maybe that explains it.
I thought there was a parallel bill from Ed Murray already moving through the Senate. What's the status of that?
@10, Mark Miloscia is a sort of born-again Catholic. I believe that could be why he voted against the bill.
@11, it looks like the House is sending over their version for the Senate to consider. That'll be the bill the Gov signs.
So now that these bills are passing by 2-1 margins, can we please also get rid of the silly 62-year-old minimum for hetero DPs?
(and don't say "you can just get married." I think gays should be able to get married, and heteros should be able to get DPs. Choice for everyone.)
@13, that would take all of the fun out of social engineering.
I wonder if the age thing would stand constitutional muster. After all, why does the state have an interest in dictating choices based on age?? Any choices.
There are many, many possible relationship choices, marriage, then adding/including common law, domestic partner and living in sin not married and don't give a shit. It is an OK political ploy, but bet it is unconstitutional.
And really, as those of us who are older will tell you, aging is very complex - like I need to sleep another hour a day and only bother with sex three times a week instead of four.
Take heart youngsters, most of what you hear is bullshit, a few wrinkles and really great life experiences you cherish.
Don't tell all the experts and the chroniclly depressed, ain't so bad at all.
Tell me Olympia, what are the solutions for my personal life, based on the Washington State Constitution..... not political ploy.
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