The legislature is set to expand the state's domestic partnership law, and a measure legalizing same-sex marriage has been introduced.
-- From "Same-sex rights could be expanded in Wash. state" by Rachel LaCore, Associated Press 1/29/09
The 110-page bill makes changes to all remaining areas of state law where currently only married couples are addressed. The bill would add same-sex domestic partners to state statutes ranging from labor and employment to pensions and other public employee benefits.
"I would say the most remarkable thing about this bill is that it is unremarkable," said Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle. "Instead of the cultural wars that we have seen year after year, we see a Legislature that is mostly on board in moving forward on protecting all of Washington's families."
Murray, who sponsored the state's domestic partnership law in 2007, is sponsoring the expansion bill in the Senate this year; Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, is sponsoring the measure in the House. They are two of six openly gay lawmakers in the Legislature.
Opponents argue that the latest measure is just one more step to sanctioning same-sex marriage, which they say dilutes traditional marriage.
"With this year's legislation, they are taking the final step to stitch together gay marriage in a state that does not legally permit it," said Sen. Dan Swecker, R-Rochester.
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