Passed by the House March 4, 2011 Yeas 58   ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate March 30, 2011 Yeas 28   ________________________________________ President of the Senate | I, Barbara Baker, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is HOUSE BILL 1649 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
Approved ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | Secretary of State State of Washington |
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2011 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/28/11. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
AN ACT Relating to giving legal effect to domestic partnerships; and amending RCW 26.60.090 and 1.12.080.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 26.60.090 and 2009 c 521 s 72 are each amended to read
as follows:
A legal union of two persons of the same sex((, other than a
marriage,)) that was validly formed in another jurisdiction, and that
is substantially equivalent to a domestic partnership under this
chapter, shall be recognized as a valid domestic partnership in this
state and shall be treated the same as a domestic partnership
registered in this state regardless of whether it bears the name
domestic partnership.
Sec. 2 RCW 1.12.080 and 2009 c 521 s 3 are each amended to read
as follows:
For the purposes of this code and any legislation hereafter enacted
by the legislature or by the people, with the exception of chapter
26.04 RCW, the terms spouse, marriage, marital, husband, wife, widow,
widower, next of kin, and family shall be interpreted as applying
equally to state registered domestic partnerships or individuals in
state registered domestic partnerships as well as to marital
relationships and married persons, and references to dissolution of
marriage shall apply equally to state registered domestic partnerships
that have been terminated, dissolved, or invalidated, unless the
legislation expressly states otherwise and to the extent that such
interpretation does not conflict with federal law. Where necessary to
implement chapter 521, Laws of 2009, gender-specific terms such as
husband and wife used in any statute, rule, or other law shall be
construed to be gender neutral, and applicable to individuals in state
registered domestic partnerships.