OLYMPIA – The Secretary of State's office will begin to process Domestic Partnership registrations on July 23 at 8:00am at the Corporations Division Office.  Several hundred people are expected to register their partnerships in person that day. The bill’s prime sponsor, Senator Ed Murray (D-Seattle), as well as Rep. Jamie Pedersen (D-Seattle) will be registering with their respective partners and will also be available for questions.  Rep. Joe McDermott (D-West Seattle) will also attend the event.
 

WHAT: First day to register domestic partnerships.

WHO: Sen. Ed Murray and Reps. Jamie Pedersen and Joe McDermott

WHEN: Monday, July 23, 2007 at 8:30 a.m.

WHERE: Corporations Division Office, 801 Capitol Way South, Olympia, WA.

Background information on the Domestic Partnership Registry bill (SSB 5336):

The bill created a domestic-partner registry in the Secretary of State's office for same-sex couples, or for unmarried heterosexual couples where one of the partners is 62 or older.  It gives state registered domestic partners some basic protections for their families, such the right to visit a partner in the hospital, the right to make health care decisions, and the right to make funeral arrangements. 

Note: Rep. Jim Moeller (D-Vancouver) will not attend the event but will be available for questions over the phone: (360) 904-3377

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For more information, contact:

Sen. Ed Murray (206) 720-3074

Website: http://www.sdc.wa.gov/murray.htm

Rep. Jamie Pedersen (206) 419-7340

Website: http://www.housedemocrats.wa.gov/members/pedersen/

Downloadable photo:  http://www1.leg.wa.gov/documents/house/members/photos/Pedersen.jpg

Rep. Joe McDermott (206) 923-5475

Website: http://www.housedemocrats.wa.gov/members/mcdermott/

Downloadable photo: http://www1.leg.wa.gov/documents/house/members/photos/Mcdermott.jpg

Staff: Lilia P. Nieto, (360) 786-7375, nieto.lilia@leg.wa.gov