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Same-sex domestic partner benefits will soon be available
to employees of Washington state
B
eginning in January, gay and lesbian
employees of Washington state will
be allowed to add their partners to
their health insurance plans, reports
The Associated Press.
The May 23 decision by the Public Employ
ees Benefits Board followed public testimony
that touched on questions of morality, cost and
whether the board was pulling an end-run
around the Legislature.
The 6-1 decision makes Washington the
fifth state to authorize same-sex partner benefits
for its government workers.
During open enrollment this fall, gay and les
bian state employees, including those in higher
education, will be allowed to submit an “affi
davit of domestic partnership” to sign up their
partners for benefits. Requirements may include
both partners being over 18, each being the
other’s sole partner, and sharing a residence and
family finances for at least six months.
If about 1,000 employees sign up their part
ners, it will cost the retirement system roughly
$3 million per year. Unless the Legislature
agrees to cover that cost, it will be borne by
active and retired state employees, at an esti
mated $2.43 a month.
The issue will likely reverberate through the
coming race for governor, since Democratic
Gov. Gary Locke requested the change and his
Republican foes are opposed.
The Christian Coalition and other oppo
nents said they will head to court to try to pre
vent implementation of the new policy.
A t a news conference before the boards
hearing, Rick Forcier, head of the state chapter
of the Christian Coalition, and other critics
called the action a backdoor effort to legitimize
same-sex unions and unravel the state’s Defense
of Marriage Act.
Forcier called homosexuality “the deadliest
lifestyle on the planet" and said the state has no
business doing anything that might help perpet
uate or validate it.
Testimony at the board meeting was bal
anced, however.
Greg Devereux, head of the Washington
Federation of State Employees, which first pro
posed the change, said it is about one thing—
workplace discrimination. The cost is fairly min
imal and many businesses and local govern
ments already have made the change, he said.
Sally Fox, benefits manager for Seattle, said
the city has offered domestic partner benefits for
11 years and finds it pays less in claims for part
ners than for spouses.
Microsoft, Boeing, Starbucks and other suc
cessful companies have demonstrated that
same-sex benefits are important to employee
morale and to a company’s ability to compete for
the best workers, said state Rep. Ed Murray, D-
Seattle.
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R ed - taped
R egistry
Continued from the cover
A
n advisory committee has been meeting
with city and county officials with the
intent of bringing the idea to a vote.
Representatives of Multnomah County and the
city of Portland, as well as several private-prac
tice attorneys, sit on the committee.
Many gay-positive organizations have also
been participating in the process: Love Makes a
Family; Oregon Gay and Lesbian Law Associa
tion; Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians
and Gays; Rural Organizing Project; Basic
Rights Oregon; and others all provided input.
If the registry ordinance is approved, domes
tic partners will be required to be over 18 and
will need to provide proof of age when register
ing. A couple will also sign a notarized state
ment declaring their domestic partnership.
Recognition of the partnership can remain
private (with a certificate issued to the couple)
or can be made part of the public record with
either the city of Portland or Multnomah Coun
ty-
Eighmey says it has not been announced
which government agency will administer the
registry.
A domestic partnership registry law, with
similar wording, is on the books in Ashland,
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City Hall, in downtown Portland, might host some same-sex unions in the near future
Ore. Eighmey says nine couples have utilized
that registry.
Registries exist in small and large cities
across the country— places such as Chicago,
Detroit, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Seattle and San
Francisco, as well as Iowa City, Iowa, and
Chapel Hill, N.C.
A final vote by the Multnomah County
Commission and Portland’s City Council is
expected no later than July. The draft ordi-
TAX INFORMATION
ma HRIAOE licenses
nance, meanwhile will be available to the pub
lic online at www.ci.portland.or.us/mayor/.
Although some believe a domestic partner
ship registry is not likely to have any legal
impact for sexual minorities, a registry may have
some social significance, giving couples a public
forum to announce their relationship.
Last January, Mayor Katz told Just Out that
the registry could be a useful tool to assist gay
men, lesbians and their families in documenting
their committed relationships— possibly making
it easier to obtain health benefits, visitation
rights and other basic rights enjoyed by other
families.
A mass registering party had been planned
for June 17 as part of Portland’s weekend pride
celebration. A packet describing what the reg- |
istry does and does not do was to be distributed j
at the event.
Although Eighmey is disappointed about the
delay and missing the opportunity to reach so
many people during the pride event, he remains
certain the final vote will take place as planned
and that the registry ordinance will be passed.
He says there are several opportunities coming
up this fall to promote couples registering.
Multnomah County currently issues marriage licenses at the Commonwealth Building, also
■ JONATHAN K ipp is a Just O u t staff reporter. He
dow ntow n
can be reached at jkipp@teleport.com.
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