Wash. Senate Passes Law to Expand Domestic Partnerships

Washington is dealing in reality. Eventually the "other Washington" will catch up. Thank you Washington legislature and Gov. Gregoire for acknowledging that gay and lesbian citizens of our great state should have all the rights of every other citizen.

Washington, congratulations on having elected representatives who are actually living in 2009! The U.S. is beginning to change--well, all except Tennessee. In the past two weeks, our legislators have worked to keep gays from adopting children and keep teachers from even mentioning the "G" word in sex classes. The rest of the country turned their clocks ahead an hour last weekend--we turned our calendars back a decade. (Rimshot!)

Yet one more step toward full equality. Hooray to the good folks in Washington for their forward-looking approach. If it is `marriage' in everything but name, eventually it will take the NAME, as well. We ARE making progress as a people, regardless of the best efforts of the Mormon church and others. Prop.8 was a wake-up call to end our complacency. With President Obama getting ready to end DADT and states like New York and New Jersey getting close to embracing same-sex marriage, we're on the right track. I pray I'll see full marriage equality in my lifetime. At 63 now, I think I have a pretty good shot at it.

I live in WA and I am thrilled at this news and proud to live in such a forward-thinking, progressive state.

Hawaii's state senate has an identical bill before it now. They, too, can make the lives of their gay and lesbian citizens equal. Most fear that they lack the will being fearful of the religious fundamentalists. If they pass the bill, congratulate Sen. Hanabusa, the Senate President. If they don't, tell her what you think of Hawaii in light of her caving in to ignmorance and bigotry.

Wow! Perhaps I was too quick moving from WA to Oregon just to save on my commute time to work! This makes me want tosit down and compare what we have in Oregon and deide where we should be when the lease is up...

I'm very thankful to live in a wonderful state that looks out for its fine citizens and affords them the rights denied by many other states. I'm very thankful for our fine Governor who has worked very hard to see that these fair and just laws pass. I feel great that I was able to be at the signing into law of the expansion bill last year and that I got the opportunity to give my testimony to those legislators who made the decision to make this a truly equal and fair state.