As a registered Republican since 1986, I’m proud of my party’s history and tradition of promoting individual liberty and a belief in empowering states and local communities. I’m also proud that my party supports the hard work and compassion of U.S. families whose job it is to raise the next generation.
Those values strengthen every individual, family and community in our nation and they are also the reasons why I support legislation to expand our state’s domestic-partnership law. Although Washington state has a domestic-partnership law, it leaves too many families unable to protect and care for one another financially.
The Domestic Partnership Expansion bill, which the state House has approved, would fix that.
Right now, too many Washington family members — children and adults — are at risk from financial hardship and of being deprived access to health care and care-giving because they lack basic legal rights as family members. This legislation would extend legal rights and responsibilities to them, such as access to state-funded domestic violence shelters, rights for residents in long-term care facilities or nursing homes, guardianship and power of attorney — things people often take for granted until life’s difficulties force a need for them.
The new domestic partnership law would not affect the legal protections and benefits that already protect married couples and their children. Beneficiaries would include senior citizens or disabled adults who cannot marry each other without losing their Social Security benefit. While keeping marriage off limits to such partnerships, unmarried couples raising children from previous relationships and gay and lesbian couples for whom marriage is not a legal option, would also benefit.
The bill also would uphold responsible and compassionate family values by obligating each partner to support the other and holding partners responsible for bringing up any children adopted or born during the domestic partnership. The legislation also would extend the responsibilities and rights of child support and guardianship and transfer of power of attorney to unmarried couples.
Right now, too many unmarried partners spend countless dollars on expensive, complex legal agreements such as wills and powers of attorney in an attempt to protect their loved ones, including children. But absent real legal rights, family members can wind up penniless, be forced from their homes, denied hospital visitation rights and even access to child support. My family values tell me that this is wrong.
Better protections for domestic-partnership rights also are in tune with the state’s largest employers, such as Microsoft, which was one of the first firms in the U.S. to offer domestic-partner benefits. Attracting and keeping such progressive employers here helps our state’s economy and boosts our tax base.
Recognizing domestic partnerships also helps protect taxpayers and our state’s fiscal health. All of us pay for Medicaid benefits and public assistance when partners and parents are unable to provide their loved ones with the support they need because the law doesn’t recognize their most important relationships.
I believe that every committed relationship and every family should share in the rights and responsibilities that make our lives and communities stronger. We all gain when laws expect the best from each of us and help us care for one another. The Domestic Partnership Expansion bill achieves this ideal.

seattlepi.nwsource.com