| Subject: Domestic partners Bill |
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Luat-gay
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Date Posted: Fri, Aug 29 2003, 8:58:58
CALIFORNIA SENATE APPROVES EQUALITY CALIFORNIA'S
GROUNDBREAKING DOMESTIC PARTNERS BILL
SACRAMENTO -- The California State Senate today passed AB 205, Equality California's landmark Domestic Partners Rights and Responsibilities Act of 2003, by a 23-14 vote. The measure, proposed and sponsored by EQCA and authored by Assemblymember Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles), would grant registered domestic partners nearly all of the state rights, benefits, and responsibilities currently granted only to married spouses.
"We are pleased that a majority of legislators and the Governor have now joined a majority of Californians in supporting legal protections for families of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Californians," said Geoffrey Kors, EQCA Executive Director. "While AB 205 does not provide true equality for same-sex couples since it does nothing to change California's discriminatory marriage laws, it is an important measure that will provide critical protections for tens of thousands of Californians."
AB 205 now returns to the Assembly for a concurrence vote. The Assembly passed an earlier version of the bill in June. Governor Gray Davis has already announced his intent to sign the bill when it reaches his desk.
Some of the significant new rights and responsibilities to be granted same-sex registered domestic partners include child custody and child and spousal support obligations, the right to make funeral arrangements, community property and mutual responsibility for debts.
In addition to widespread support by a coalition of civil rights, labor, religious, and senior organizations, AB 205 is also supported by Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante, Attorney General Bill Lockyer, and Secretary of State Kevin Shelley. Approximately 20,000 same-sex and senior opposite-sex couples have registered with the State during the three years that the domestic partner registry has been in place.
The unofficial vote tally is as follows:
23 Ayes (all Democrats): Alarcon, Alpert, Bowen, Burton, Cedillo, Chesbro, Ducheny, Dunn, Escutia, Figueroa, Karnette, Kuehl, Machado, Murray, Ortiz, Perata, Romero, Scott, Sher, Soto, Speier, Torlakson, Vasconcellos
14 Noes:
Republicans: Aanestad, Ackerman, Ashburn, Battin, Brulte, Denham, Hollingsworth, Knight, Margett, McPherson, Morrow, Oller, Poochigian
Democrats: Florez
3 Not Voting: Johnson(R), McClintock (R), Vincent (D)
Founded in 1998, Equality California (formerly CAPE) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots-based, statewide advocacy organization whose mission is to ensure the dignity, safety, equality and civil rights of all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians. Equality California is one of the largest and fastest growing statewide LGBT organizations in the country.
We can be contacted through our website at www.eqca.org.
-END-
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