Washington State
domestic partners are being granted more than 160 more
rights and responsibilities as the senate voted 29-20 to
pass an expansion bill for domestic-partner laws. Gov.
Chris Gregoire is expected to sign the bill into law,
according to the
Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
The legislature
voted to expand upon the law, created in 2007, that
enacted a domestic-partner registry, providing rights and
responsibilities to gay couples and heterosexual couples
with one partner older than age 62.
A February poll
showed that 55% of Washington voters supported extending
more domestic-partnership rights for gay couples, according
to the article.
The bill drew
criticism from religious groups, including the Catholic
Church, which testified against the legislation in
committee.
Josh Friedes,
advocacy director for Equal Rights Washington, told the
newspaper that the legislature's vote is a good indicator
that people's attitudes toward rights for gays and
lesbians is changing though they're not quite ready
for full-on marriage. (
The Advocate
)
