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Richard B. Schneider
A ttorney A t L aw
A promising experimental H IV therapy is the latest weapon in the battle against A ID S
C ourt U rged to U phold
D omestic P artner B enefits
ambda Legal Defense and Education Fund is
urging the Washington Supreme Court to
reject a conservative taxpayer’s assault on Van
couver’s domestic partner benefits plan and to
leave in place the city’s family benefits plan for
unmarried city employees. Arguments were
heard in the case May 31.
“V ancouver recognizes that providing
equal insurance benefits to unmarried city
employees is simply the fair thing to do,”
Lambda senior staff attorney Jennifer C . Pizer
said. “Vancouver and its residents benefit
when all city employees can rest assured that
their families have basic insurance coverage,
because peace o f mind improves morale and
effectiveness in the workplace.”
Lambda and the A m erican C ivil Liberties
U nion argue that home rule cities like Van
couver, under W ashington law, have substan
tial power to govern themselves; they filed a
brief outlining why Vancouver, as an employ
er, is well-served by its partner benefits plan.
T h e brief points out that there is no conflict
between this local law and state law, in that
W ashington law protects people in unmarried
relationships in various ways. Additionally,
the brief refutes the argument that the local
law creates confusion between the limited,
taxable partner benefits offered to unmarried
city workers and the comprehensive legal
recognition provided by W ashington’s mar
riage laws.
In 1998, Vancouver extended its family ben
efits plan to unmarried, gay and nongay, city
employees. T he conservative Virginia-based
Northstar Legal Center sued in 1999 on behalf
of a local resident, Roni Heinsma, contending
that the city cannot extend health benefits or
any other protection to unmarried employees in
committed relationships because doing so pur
portedly would conflict with Washington state
marriage law.
In June 2000, the trial court rejected these
arguments and ruled definitively in the city’s
favor, pointing out that Vancouver has not tried
to regulate family relationships in general as the
marriage laws do but instead simply is ensuring
reasonable compensation for its own employees.
Heinsma then appealed.
Shortly after receiving the Lambda/ACLU
brief, the Court o f Appeals, on its own
m otion, asked the W ashington Supreme
Court to accept review o f the case. Lambda
has helped cities and counties around the
country defend domestic partner benefits for
unmarried employees, defeating attacks in
areas such as A tlanta; Chicago; New York;
Santa Barbara, Calif.; Pima County, Ariz.; and
Broward County, Fla.
L
G roup W ill L aunch
S tudy on HIV T reatment
he Research and Education Group is seeking
volunteer participants in a new research study
for Interleukin-2, a promising experimental HIV
therapy. Evaluation of Subcutaneous Proleukin in
a Randomized International Trial, or ESPRIT, will
enroll 4,000 subjects from around the world.
Interleukin-2 is a naturally occurring protein
made by human white blood cells. A synthetic
version is used as HIV treatment. Dramatic
increases in CD 4 cell counts are seen in most
patients who take the treatment.
The research is seeking an answer to the
question: Does a rise in CD4 cells caused by this
treatment translate into clinical benefits and a
longer life for HIV-positive patients? T he study
is set to run for five years.
The Research and Education Group, a pub
lic nonprofit organization, is composed of physi
cians and health care professionals committed
to providing access to community-based AIDS
clinical trials of new and investigational drugs
and the study of promising HIV therapies.
T
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For more information call 503*229-8428 or
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R esearch L eads to N ew
W orkshops for C ouples
Seattle-based organization is offering new
relationship workshops for gay and lesbian
couples. T he Gottman Institute based the sum
mer workshops on a 12-year study of gay and les
bian couples by doctors at University of Wash
ington and University of California at Berkeley.
T h eir research indicates gay and lesbian
relationships have strengths that straight
couples do not. T h e workshops are designed
to help couples build on those strengths and
recognize the differences unique to gay and
lesbian relationships.
The research also found that gay and lesbian
couples experience about the same satisfaction
as straight couples, tend to be more upbeat in
dealing with conflict and use fewer controlling,
hostile-emotion tactics. According to the study,
lesbian couples express both positive and nega
tive emotions more than gay men.
The two-day workshop, “Honoring Gay and
Lesbian Relationships,” will be held at Seattle
Center— June 16 and 17 for lesbians, July 14
and 15 for gay men. Tuition is $350 a couple.
A
For more inform ation call 206-523-9042 or
888-523-9042 or visit the Internet site
w uAv.gottm an.com .
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