| States
Repeal of Anti-Cohabitation Statute and Sodomy laws
Arizona
HB 2414
Author: Rep. Kathi Foster
Capitol Complex
1700 W. Washington
Phoenix, AZ 85007-2890
(602) 542-5160
kfoster@azleg.state.az.us
Purpose: Would repeal Arizona’s law against
cohabitation, sodomy, and the law prohibiting lewd and lascivious acts. Currently a
violation of each statute is a Class 3
misdemeanor (up to 30 days in jail/up to $500 fine).
Actions taken:
passed the House Judiciary Committee (7 to 3) on Feb. 12, 2001
passed the House by a vote of 33-26 on March 20, 2001
Passed the Senate
Status: Signed into law by the Governor in May
2001
New Mexico
SB 95
Author: Senator
Michael S. Sanchez
State Capitol, Room 319
Santa Fe, NM 87503
(505) 986-4485 / FAX (505) 986-4280
senate@state.nm.us
Purpose:
Would repeal a statute that makes it a criminal infraction for an unmarried man and woman
to live together in an intimate relationship.
Actions taken:
passed the Senate by a vote of 25 to 5 on Jan. 25, 2001
passed the House by a vote of 35 to 29 on March 8, 2001
Status: signed by Governor on March 14, 2001
Inheritance tax repeal bills
New Hampshire
HB 170
Author: Rep. Paul A. McGuirk
PO Box 535
Walpole, NH 03608-0535
(603) 756-2864
Purpose:
Would repeal the legacies and succession tax (death tax) which is imposed on transfers of
assets after a death. Under current law, transfers from one spouse to another are
exempt from death tax, as are transfers from parent to child or child to parent.
However, transfers from a single person to a friend, domestic partner, or lateral relative
(sibling, aunt, uncle, etc.) are taxed up to 18 percent. The repeal of the death tax
would therefore eliminate discrimination against single people.
Actions taken:
hearing held in House Committee on Ways and Means on Jan. 25, 2001; amended and
passed House April 18, 2001 referred to Senate.
May 1, 2001, referred to Senate Committee on Ways and Means.
June 15, 2001 passed Senate referred to House Conference Committee on June 21, 2001.
June 25, 2001,referred to Senate Conference Committee with amendments.
July 5, 2001 became law without signature effective June 30, 2001
Status: enacted into law
Domestic partners
California
AB
25
Author: Assemblywoman Carole Migden
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0001
(916) 319-2013 / Fax: (916) 319-2113
Assemblymember.migden@assembly.ca.gov
Purpose: Would expand the current domestic
partnership law to include more rights and protections for registered partners, including
the right to: (1) Make medical decisions if a partner is incapacitated and unable to give
informed consent (2) Inherit property if one's partner dies without a will and be
appointed as administrator of a partner's estate (3) Appear in conservatorship proceedings
and be appointed as a conservator (4) Recover for economic damages for negligent
infliction of emotional distress and wrongful death (5) Use sick leave benefits to care
for an ill domestic partner or a domestic partner's child (6) Leave a job to relocate with
a domestic partner without jeopardizing unemployment benefits (7) Deduct from state gross
income certain amounts expended for medical care and exclude the value of
employer-provided health insurance costs. It would also revise the statutory will
form to include domestic partners in the class of beneficiaries to whom a testator may
leave his or her estate. It would extend employer-based health coverage to domestic
partners of small businesses. Finally, the bill would allow opposite-sex couples to
register as domestic partners if either one or both partners are over the age of
62. Under the current domestic partnership registry, in order for a
heterosexual couple to register, both partners must be over 62.
Actions taken:
passed 8-2 out of Judiciary Committee on March 13, 2001
passed 5-2 out of Committee on Labor and Employment on April 18, 2001
passed House by a vote of 43-29 on June 6, 2001 referred to Senate.
June 19, 2001 referred to Committee on Judiciary.
July 18, 2001 read second time, amended and re-referred to Committee on Appropriations
August 20, 2001, passed 13-0 in committee placed in Senate Appropriations suspense file.
Sept. 10, 2001 passed Senate 23-11 referred to House
Sept. 12, 2001 passed House referred to Governor's office
Status: signed by Governor October 14, 2001
Maine
HB
1256
Author: Rep. Benjamin F. Dudley
9 Ponce Street
Portland, ME 04101
(800)
423-2900
benfdudley@hotmail.com
Purpose: Would required health carriers to
offer policies providing coverage for domestic partners of health plan members under the
same terms and conditions as coverage for spouses of health plan members. Certain
conditions must be met for coverage to apply.
Actions taken:
introduced on March 20, 2001
referred to Joint Committee on Banking & Insurance
passed House vote by 91- 49 on May 22, 2001, referred to Senate
passed Senate on May 23, 2001 forwarded to Governor
Status: signed by Governor on June 1, 2001.
Rhode Island
HB 5339
Author: Representative
Gordon D. Fox
146
Woodbine Street
Providence, RI 02906
(401) 272-0113
Purpose: Would make domestic partners of state
employees who meet specific criteria eligible for certain state employment benefits
including insurance .
Actions taken:
January 30, 2001; in Committee on Finance
June 20, 2001 passed House referred to Senate.
June 21, 2001; in Senate Corporations Committee
June 28, 2001 passed Senate as amended referred to House
July 5, 2001 passed House referred to Govervnor for signature.
July 9, 2001 signed by Governor.
Status: enacted into law
Removal of "bastard" and
"illegitimate" from laws
Maine
HB
864
Author: Rep. Elaine Fuller
487 Pond Road
P. O. Box 187
Manchester, ME 04351
(207) 622-0293
Purpose:
Would remove from the Maine Revised Statutes the referencees to the term
"bastard" children and substitutes the phrase "child born to an unwed
mother."
Actions taken:
February 22, 2001; referred to Joint committee on Judiciary.
May 5, 2001; Amended by Committee Amendment.
May 8, 2001 passed both houses forwarded to Governor
Status: signed by Governor May 18,2001
Delaware
HB 101
Author: Rep. Helene Keeley
Carvel State Office Building
820 N. French St.
Wilmington, DE 19801
(302) 577-8476
Purpose:
Would ammend Title 10 of the the Delaware Code which references a child born
out-of-wedlock as illegitimate or bastard and substitutes the phrase to "non-marital
child".
Actions taken:
introduce February 21, 2001
passed House by a vote of 35-1 referred Senate March 29, 2001
assigned to Senate Executive committee; favorable report by committee on May 16,
2001.
passed Senate on June 7, 2001, and forwarded to Governor.
Status: signed by Governor on June 21, 2001
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