OREGON S LGBTO NEWSMAGAZINE
4
northwestnewS'
MARCH 18, 2011
5
B Y RYAN J. PRADO
Equality Legislation Makes
Headway in Washington State
W hile February’s introduction of marriage
equality legislation awaits moves in both the
Senate and House in Washington State, gay
rights activists have in the meantime set their
sights on a trio of other progressive equality
bills gaining momentum in Olympia.
O n February 28, the House passed HB
1267, a bill introduced by Democratic Rep.
Jamie Pedersen (43rd District). The bill is de
signed to amend the existing Uniform Parent
age Act by recognizing domestic partners with
the same rights and responsibilities as hetero
sexual couples in child matters. The bill also
establishes standards for surrogacy contracts
by allowing for compensated surrogacy in
Washington state. Ty Stober, vice chair of
Equal Rights W ashington, reports that con
servatives in Washington have targeted the
compensated surrogacy portion of the law
rather than attacking the rights and responsi
bilities the updated law will give same-sex
parents.
“We very much support compensated sur
rogacy,” says Stober. “It is an important issue
for us so gay couples aren’t forced to go out of
state if they want a biological child.”
A hearing was held March 15 for HB 1267
in front of the Senate Committee on Govern
ment Operations and Tribal Relations Sc Elec-
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tions, but no votes are scheduled at this time.
Vancouver lesbian couple Erinn and Jen
Havig testified before the House and again
March 16 in front of the Senate in favor of the
bill. Erinn and Jen had a baby, Abby, in Sep
tember 2010— Erinn carried the couple’s child
from Jen’s egg. But Washington law recognized
Erinn, not Jen, as the child’s parent, prompting
a five month-long process wherein Jen had to
adopt her own biological child.
“This type of legislation would allow for
children that are born into a domestic part
nership to be adopted by the other parent
without the arduous process o f state and fed
eral background checks, adoption home stud
ies, medical exams and court proceedings
which cost an additional amount o f money,”
explains Erinn.
In other equality legislation news, on March
2 the House passed an inflated anti-bullying
bill introduced by Rep. Marko Liias (D-21st
District). HB 1163 would require that a task
force be set up to report to the legislature on a
number o f im portant issues that are not ad
dressed in current law.
“Creating a statewide working group on
bullying and harassment will help us identify
the next steps the state can take to improve
school safety,” explains Rep. Liias. “The work
ing group will gather experts to recommend
these next steps— things like best practices,
recommended curriculum for schools and
better teacher preparation.”
Liias reports that the bill also directs the
state education agency to prepare a classroom-
based assessment on mental health and suicide
prevention for use in middle and high schools.
“This is one concrete step that will help
teach students how to cope with the effects of
bullying, while the state works to prevent the
problem in the first place.”
the bill concerns the recognition o f valid
same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions
as state-registered domestic partnerships.
“We remain positive that these bills will
move out o f committee and be approved by
the Senate,” says Stober.
Legislative moves on Democratic Sen. Ed
Murray’s (43rd District) marriage equality bill
in the state Senate, and Democratic Rep. Jim
Moeller’s (49th District) House companion
bill, according to Stober, are still a couple of
weeks away.
Equal Rights Washington holds Equality
Day Tuesday, M arch 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30
p.m. in Olympia to lobby in support o f these
three important bills.
Just Out w ill follow the progress o f these LG-
BTQ equality hills in Washington state. For more
information on Equal Rights Washington, visit
equalrightswashington. org.
Pride NW, Saturday in the
Park Choose 2011 Themes;
Red Dress Gets Fitted for
11th Year
A public hearing on HB 1163 was held in
the Senate Committee on Early Learning &.
K.-12 Education as Just Out went to press.
Pride Northwest has unveiled its 2011 Port
Similarly, the passing o f HB 1649 on March land Pride Parade and Festival theme. “Make It
4 in the House exemplified a growing influ Happen!” according to the Pride board, was
ence by the LGBTQ_caucus and its allies in chosen for its relation to change in the LG-
Washington state politics. Introduced by lead BTQ_community coming from the ground up.
sponsor Rep. Laurie Jinkins (D -27th District),
“W ith our 2011 theme, ‘Make It Happen,’
h- ■
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