Domestic Partners Get Rights in WA

Apr 22, 2007 at 1:24 AM
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In what I'm sure pisses off some religious people, Governor Gregoire signed into law a bill that gives "domestic partners" rights that are similar to those of married people. I wonder if they also mandate that insurance companies also provide protection for domestic partners as well.

In any case, I'm happy this law got passed. Love is love, partners are partners regardless if the "partners" are the same sex or not.

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"Love is love, partners are partners regardless if the "partners" are the same sex or not."

Amen.

Sounds like people from Santa Cruz have infiltrated Washington. I too believe that the term "mariage" should be reserved for unions between a man and woman but the law was the biggest obstacle to handle the legal aspects of a growing number of domestic partnerships.

If you get enough domestic partners together in one place they can effect the states view on insurance. Selling insurance within a state comes with rules. Denying insurance to a certain group of people could disqualifiy thier ability to sell within the state.

My guess is that the insurance companies may be smart enough to see where this could go and start making provisions for domestic partnerships as a means to be able to keep selling within a state. In many cases, the almighty dollar speaks louder than the almighty himself.

That's awesome! You guys are so progressive out there on the west coast. Pat Roberson would put the kibosh on that faster than he'd hirer illegals to work in his diamond mines. It seems like this entire area is run by the religious right...ugg. I guess I just don't get it.

PhoneBoy replied to TechZilla’s comment:
Apr 22, 2007
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There is an interesting dichotomy in this state: the counties around Seattle (King, Pierece, Snohomish, Thurston, and maybe Kitsap) typically vote left, every other county in the state votes right. The population in those five counties have more population than all the others as well.

Washington State did have a bill about allowing same-sex "marriages" last year, but that got shot down. Despite that, this bill passes. I think people are just hung up on what "marriage" actually means versus necessarily having a problem giving people in same-sex relationships marriage-like rights.

Clearly, the insurance companies are having to deal with this in states where "marriages" between members of the same sex are legal.