Pedersen testimony given at today's domestic partnership hearing in the House Judiciary Committee

January 29, 2008

Last year when this committee heard the domestic partnership bill, it was only an idea.  Those of us who supported the bill thought that it would begin to address some of the concrete problems faced by Washington couples who cannot marry.  Some who opposed it predicted that passage of the bill would lead to “social and economic chaos”.

A year later, it is time for us to check in on what we have done.  Several hundred happy couples, including my partner Eric and me, came to Olympia on July 23 to register on the first day and received basic rights such as hospital visitation, health care decision-making, and the right to inherit when there is no will – along with a handy wallet card.  A little over a month after we registered, on August 27, a little chaos – and a shower of blessings – did indeed descend on our home in the form of our son, Tryg.  Our lives have been changed forever for the better.

We are not alone.  The registry has been available for just over 6 months and in that short time over 3,300 couples have registered.  They come from Acme and Zillah, and 234 Washington towns and cities in between, in every single legislative district in the state.  56 couples have signed up just in the last week.  And on behalf of all of them, I thank you, because our families are safer and more secure today than they were a year ago.

But our work last year was only a start.  Domestic partners still lack the vast majority of the protections that married couples take for granted in Washington.  House Bill 3104 is the next step in addressing that injustice.  The bill will help provide financial security for all Washington families by extending rights and responsibilities in community property, joint responsibility for debt, probate, guardianship, nursing homes, taxes, veterans’ benefits, and campaign finance disclosure. 

Yes, campaign finance disclosure.  We have a strong public policy of transparency about the financial affairs of public officials and their families in our state.  We believe that the public has the right to know whether there are people who might exercise undue influence on our decisions, and so we require appointed and elected officials to disclose information about themselves and their spouses.  But because domestic partners are not included, I have no obligation to report gifts to Eric – or Eric's income or debts or board connections – on my F-1 the way that most of you have to about your spouses.  It’s time to change that.  I’m proud to report that Eric received all of his income in 2007 from the Bellevue School District as an English teacher at Newport High School; that he served as secretary and council member at Central Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill; and that he served on the board of Bailey-Boushay House, which provides hospice and end-of life care. 

You will be hearing more stories this morning from people whose families are still at risk and need our help.  I urge you to support HB 3104 and continue the important work of protecting those families, and mine.