PERMANENT RULES
Effective Date of Rule: December 3, 2009.
Purpose: ESSSB [E2SSB] 5688 passed during the 2009 legislative session. This bill states that agencies shall amend their rules to grant or impose all privileges, immunities, rights, benefits, or responsibilities granted or imposed by statute to an individual because they are a spouse in a marital relationship are to be granted or imposed on equivalent terms to an individual because that individual is in a state registered domestic partnership.
Note: Referendum 71 has qualified for the November 3, 2009, general election ballot. If voted into law, R-71 will be effective thirty days after the election. Therefore, we are changing the effective date of this order to December 3, 2009 (thirty days after the election). If it is not voted into law, we will do an emergency amendment of this order following the election.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 357-31-330, 357-31-373, 357-31-525, 357-31-395, 357-31-567, 357-46-060, 357-58-475, 357-31-535, 357-31-520, and 357-31-230.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: Chapter 41.06 RCW.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 09-14-129 on July 1, 2009.
Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: WAC 357-31-525 added language to include subsequent regulations for FMLA eligibility. WAC 357-31-520 and 357-31-535 changed language to clarify FMLA for a registered domestic partner is not counted towards the twelve week FMLA entitlement.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 10, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 10, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: September 2, 2009.
Eva N. Santos
Director