Today the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, applauded voters in Washington for passing Referendum 71, approving the state’s domestic partnership law and preserving legal rights and benefits for thousands of families. The domestic partnership law that the voters upheld provides registered same-sex and senior domestic partners with the same legal protections, benefits, and obligations that marriage provides under state law. The initiative passed by a margin of 52.5 to 47.5.“The people of Washington have rejected a mean-spirited attempt to rob some citizens of the protections that others receive. The passage of Referendum 71 assures that state-registered domestic partners will have the same financial and personal security under state law as their neighbors.” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “Although only marriage is truly equal, this referendum provides tangible protections that are more important than ever in these uncertain economic times,” he added.
The bill to expand domestic partner benefits was passed in May 2009 and signed into law by Governor Christine Gregoire. The measure was placed on the ballot after opponents collected enough signatures to qualify for a referendum.
