Washington Senate Approves Recognizing Out-of-State Gay Marriages

The Washington Senate approved a bill this week for the state to recognize as domestic partnerships any same-sex marriages that have been enacted in other jurisdictions.

Under a law passed in 2009 that was upheld at the ballot, domestic partnerships in Washington are open to both same-sex and opposite sex couples and provide the same state-governed rights as marriage.

Washington already recognizes out-of-state civil unions and domestic partnerships, but current law excludes same-sex marriages.

Representative Laurie Jinkins, who was the lead sponsor of the bill in the House, has said she is “ecstatic” at the Senate vote but was quick to point out that this isn’t a new right the Legislature has come up with, but rather an ironing out of an inequality in existing law.

From On Top Magazine:

“It extends what the voters of this state have already said they want to do for people.”

[...]

“This is not a big deal — we’re not extending any new rights,” Jinkins said during the House debate. “It says if you have a marriage in another state, you get a domestic partnership here. You don’t get marriage here — you get a domestic partnership.”

The measure must now be approved by Democratic Governor Christine Gregoire who is believed to be a supporter of the bill.

Photo used under the Creative Commons Attribution License, with thanks to -Marlith-.

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Allan Y.

11:32AM PDT on Apr 9, 2011

Thank you Washington for taking the extra step.

send a green star

Norma V.

7:44AM PDT on Apr 9, 2011

Thank you for taking a step to celebrate that we are human beings.

Ald O.

5:28AM PDT on Apr 4, 2011

did anyone ever hear of the constitution?

gays lesbians bisexual all get to pay equal taxes,

then gov denies them equal rights of civil marriage?

and churches get special tax status then deny systematically womens right to be priests, bishops, lesbians to marry?

why am i being forced to give tax concessions to churches that deny our constitution?

one thing gw bush had wrong, about the rights of

bisexual lesbians gays to marry and serve in the service equally

(ask dont tell was denying right to free speech)

the rest of vilification of GW Bush for the sole purpose of the other parties to gain power again, just as now the other party is vilifying president obama.

for the dem/rep parties its all about power and anything to divide and conquer the voters.

united we stand, divided we fall

Karen S.

9:14PM PDT on Apr 2, 2011

We need you, Washington, to show the rest of the country what equality is all about. Thanks so much.

Charlene R.

8:19PM PDT on Apr 2, 2011

This subject is on a run-away train, as it should be. The cat is out of the bag, and there's no getting it back in.
Either, you have equality or you don't.

Quite honestly, I often observe a heterosexual couple and wonder what they see in each other. They appear to be so opposite.
Of course, what do I know, about human attraction?

It boils down to this!!!
You don't have to like it; you only have to live with it.
Personally, it makes me happy to see people, who are happy together, no matter the circumstance.

Tricia H.

2:21PM PDT on Apr 2, 2011

Thanks Laurie and for all the petitions for making this possible. Thanks Bunches!!! ( :

Drusilla P.

11:29AM PDT on Apr 2, 2011

Thanks for the info.

Shawn P.

9:33AM PDT on Apr 2, 2011

Agree that its a step in the right direction, but theres many miles to go.

Rob and Jay B.

9:23AM PDT on Apr 2, 2011

Well, LGBT people are now allowed onto the bus. It's just a matter of time until they'll be allowed to sit anywhere they want to. A step in the right direction. If Seattle were all there was to Washington, equality in marriage would have been done ages ago, but once you leave the city limits you are in redneck ville in every direction (along with miles & miles of environmental destruction with endless clearcut forests, we might add, one of the most environmentally unfriendly states in the US). Seattle was the first city in the US to vote in civil protections for LGBT people by popular vote (over 80%) in 1976, we believe.

Sue M.

8:57AM PDT on Apr 2, 2011

thanks for this post