Some 300 couples around the state are celebrating their first anniversary today, and a year ago, that wouldn't have been possible. On July 23, 2007, a law went into effect making it possible for people to register as domestic partners in Washington. The law extended rights to gay and lesbian couples as well as older, heterosexual, nonmarried ones. Although they aren't celebrating their first anniversary yet, Kevin Hansen and Robert Kersten, both 28, registered as domestic partners in May. They're also participating in a commitment ceremony next month in Grandview. Hansen, who runs a business from home, and Kersten, a truck driver, will be augmenting their domestic partnership with the ceremony conducted by a minister. "We're both somewhat religious," Hansen explained, "and we wanted to do this in the eyes of God and with our family and friends." Hansen, who is originally from the Valley, now lives in the Seattle area with Kersten. After being together for more than six years, they decided to sign up as partners mainly for medical reasons, such as having the right to choose life support, if needed, for one another. The idea of eventually raising children has motivated a Yakima couple to register as domestic partners. Marcy Papineau Bock, 20, a college student, and Monica Bock, 27, a mental-health worker, are driving to Olympia to register on what they view as a lucky day: August 8, or 8/8/8. "We've been together three years, and we felt it was time," said Papineau Bock, explaining that they believe a domestic partnership will legitimize their union, especially as they start a family. In the past year, nearly 5,000 couples have registered as domestic partners in Washington. People can do so online with the Secretary of State's Corporation Division, at www.secstate.wa.gov/corps/domesticpartnerships, or in person in Olympia. The domestic partnership law gave gay and lesbian couples and older heterosexual couples in Washington some of the rights that married couples have. Those include medical rights, such as visitation in hospitals and obtaining medical information, as well as authorizing organ donations and autopsies. Other rights accorded to domestic partners include inheritance if there is no will and, possibly, medical benefits through a partner's health insurance. Employers may choose to offer those benefits but are not required to do so. "The law was a giant step forward," said Josh Friedes, advocacy director for Equal Rights Washington, a Seattle-based advocacy group for gay and lesbian issues that opened five years ago. "It provided a very important, but limited, safety net to gay and lesbian families," Friedes noted. That, however, is not the view of Rep. Bruce Chandler, a Republican from the 15th Legislative District. "I don't believe rights should be rationed for selected groups for selected reasons," said Chandler, explaining why he voted against the domestic partnership bill. "It's counterproductive to encourage a more adversarial relationship between different parts of the community," Chandler added. More domestic partner rights were implemented last month in an addition to the law; those included increased property rights, tax exemption and child support. Chandler also opposed that bill. According to the state law, citizens 18 years and older can register in a domestic partnership if they are not closely related to their partner, married or in a domestic partnership with someone else. Gays and lesbians can't legally wed in Washington because the 10-year-old Defense of Marriage Act restricts marriage to a man and a woman. Five other states offer domestic partnerships similar to Washington, and two -- California and Massachusetts -- have legalized same sex marriage. Not everyone thinks the partnership act is advantageous in all situations. The Rev. Jane Newall, who oversees Yakima's Rainbow Cathedral Metropolitan Community Church, is one. She and her partner, Debbie Vuillemot, had a lawyer draft power of attorney documents and wills because they believe those are more encompassing. "Even if people register, I still advise them to talk to an attorney," Newall said. She also pointed out that domestic partners still don't receive the same rights as legally recognized marriages. The domestic partnership act extends some 200 different rights to those who register, while a marriage certificate in Washington provides about 400 rights, many having to do with children's issues. "There's still an inherent inequality," Newall noted. "We're on the bus, but we're still in the back."   Some 300 couples around the state are celebrating their first anniversary today, and a year ago, that wouldn't have been possible. On July 23, 2007, a law went into effect making it possible for people to register as domestic partners in Washington. The l City Desk, LOCAL

2008-07-21T23:45:30Z

by Jane Gargas

2008-07-23T06:15:37Z

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A day to celebrate for domestic partners 6063 a-day-to-celebrate-for-domestic-partners Web Story

Yakima Herald-Republic

2008-07-23T06:30:50Z

6283185

07/23/08 Partners published Web Daily

2009-03-20T02:27:18Z