Washington State
governor Chris Gregoire signed a bill Wednesday that
will expand the state's Domestic Partner Law to provide more
than 160 new rights and responsibilities to registered
domestic partners in the state. The new law goes into
effect June 12.
"Governor
Gregoire has been a longtime supporter of civil rights for
members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender
community, and we sincerely thank her for signing this
historic measure into law," said Equal Rights
Washington executive director Connie Watts. "We're
thrilled that the legislature has taken this action to
protect Washington's vulnerable families and
especially thank the legislators in Olympia who helped
to move this bill forward. We were glad to see that
the floor debates were constructive and civil." The bill
passed the senate this month by a 29-20 vote
and passed the house last month by 62-32.
Recent polls
conducted by the University of Washington show an increasing
number of Washingtonians support equal rights for LGBT
people. In 2007, 73% expressed support for legal
recognition of same-sex relationships, with 59% of
state voters saying that same-sex couples deserve rights
identical to those afforded their straight peers. (More
information can be found at www.washingtonpoll.org.) (The
Advocate)
