Marriage Equality
Sponsors: Sen. Ed Murray, Rep. Jim Moeller
The ACLU-WA and its allies are working to ensure the eventual success of legislation to allow civil marriage for same-sex partners. The passage of legislation in 2009 providing extensive legal rights for registered domestic partners was a major step forward for fairness. But reaching true equality will mean making legal marriage available to all couples regardless of sexual orientation.
The ACLU-WA also supports a bill (HB 1649) sponsored by Rep. Laurie Jinkins to recognize marriages of same-sex couples from other states as valid domestic partnerships in Washington. In 2009 the legislature passed and voters affirmed an ACLU-backed measure extending to registered domestic partners all the rights and responsibilities of marriage under state law. Currently state law recognizes domestic partnerships and civil unions from other states but excludes marriages of same-sex couples. HB 1649 passed the House by a 58-39 vote and is before the Senate.
