Legislation to Watch

Congress

Domestic partner benefits for federal workers

    HR 638
    Author: Rep. Barney Frank
                    2210 Rayburn House Office Building
                    Washington, D.C. 20515
                    (202) 225-5931
    Purpose: Would provide health and other work benefits to domestic partners of federal employees just as spouses of federal workers receive benefits.  Also would make such benefits exempt from federal income tax just as spousal benefits are tax exempt.  As presently written, two unmarried adults may qualify as domestic partners, regardless of the gender of the partners.
    Last action:  referred to two committees on Feb. 14, 2001
    Status: 
pending in House Committee on Gvt. Reform and Committee on Ways and Means

Amend Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to include care of domestic partner

    HR 2287
    Author: Rep. Carolyn Maloney
                    2430 Rayburn House Office Building
                    Washington, D.C. 20515
                    (202) 225-7944
    Purpose: Would amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to permit leave to care for a domestic partner, parent-in-law, adult child, sibling, or grandparent if the domestic partner, parent-in-law, adult child, sibling, or grandparent has a serious health condition
    Actions taken:
referred to three committees on June 21, 2001: House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Committee on Government Reform and Committee on House Administration.
September 18, 2001, House Committee on Education and Workforce refers bill to Sub-committee on Workforce Protection; House Committee of Government Reform refers bill to Sub-committee on Civil Service and Agency Organization.
    Status:
pending in committee

Tax equity for Domestic Partners Act of 2001

    HR 2837
    Author: Rep. James A. McDermott
                    1035 Longworth House Office Building
                    Washington, D.C. 20515
                    (202) 225-3106
    Purpose: Would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the exclusion from an employee's gross income for employer provided health coverage of the employee's spouse to coverage provided to the employee's domestic partner.
    Actions taken:  introduce September 5, 2001; referred to House Committee on Ways and Means
    Status: 
pending in committee

Immigration for same-sex permanent partners of US citizens

    HR 690
    Author: Rep. Jerrold Nadler
                    2334 Rayburn House Office Building
                    Washington, D.C. 20515
                    (202) 225-5635
    Purpose: Would provide allow "permanent partners" of US citizens to immigrate to the United States, provided that the partners are of the same sex, just as spouses of US citizens may immigrate to this country.
    Actions taken: 
referred to two committees on Feb. 14, 2001
referred to subcommittee on March 2, 2001
    Status: 
pending in House Committee on Gvt. Reform and Committee on Ways and Means
pending in Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims

Amendment to the Violence Against Women Act of 2000

    S 410
    Author: Senator Mike Crapo
                   111 Russell Senate Office Building
                   Washington, DC  20510
                   202-224-6142 / FAX  202-228-1375
    Purpose: Would expand the legal assistance for victims of violence grant program to include legal assistance for  victims of dating violence
    Actions taken: 
introduced on Feb. 28, 2001
referred to Committee on the Judiciary
April 25, 2002, Committee favorably reports without amendments
May 7, 2002; Passed Senate without amendments by unanimous consent
May 8, 2002; received by House and referred to House Judiciary Committee
    Status: 
pending in House Committee on the Judiciary

Setting up private Social Security investment accounts for workers

    HR 2771
    Author: Rep. Jim Kolbe
                   2266 Rayburn House Office Building
                   Washington, DC 20515
                   202-225-2542
    Purpose: Would amend title II of the Social Security Act to provide for individual security accounts funded by employee and employer Social Security payroll deductions, to extend the solvency of the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance program and for other purposes.
    Actions taken: 
referred to two committees on August 2, 2001
August 8, 2001, House Committee on Ways and Means refers resolution to Sub-committee on Social Security
    Status: 
pending in committee

Nondiscrimination in Employee Benefits Act of 2001

    HR 515
    Author: Rep. Thomas E. Petri
                   2462 Rayburn House Office Building
                   Washington, DC 20515
                   202-225-2476
    Purpose: Would require that employers offering benefits to associates of its employees who are not spouses or dependents of the employees not discriminate on the basis of the nature of the relationship between the employee and the designated associates.
    Actions taken: 
February 7, 2001;referred to House Committee on Education and the Workforce
March 29, 2001; referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee relations
    Status: 
pending in committee

Homemaker Employment Assistance and Lifeskills Act

    HR 2489
    Author: Rep. Melissa Hart
                   1508 Longworth House Office Building
                   Washington, DC 20515
                   202-225-2565
    Purpose: Would provide effective training and education programs for displaced homemakers, single parents, and individuals entering nontraditional employment.
    Actions taken: 
July 12, 2001;referred to House Committee on Education and the Workforce
November 2, 2001; referred to the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness
    Status: 
pending in committee

Anti-Hypocrisy Act of 2001

    HR 3291
    Author: Rep. Barney Frank
                   2252 Rayburn House Office Building
                   Washington, DC 20515
                   202-225-5931
    Purpose: Would amend title 10, United States Code, to provide that consensual sexual activity between adults shall not be a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
    Actions taken: 
November 14, 2001;referred to House Committee on Armed Services
    Status: 
pending in committee

Repeal of Anti-Cohabitation Statute and Sodomy Laws

Massachusetts

    HB 847
    Author: Representative David Paul Linsky
                   State House, Room 473-F
                   Boston, MA 02133
                   (617) 722-2210
                   Rep.DavidLinsky@hou.state.ma.us
    Purpose: Would repeal the sodomy laws (subsections 18, 34, 35 of Chapter 272)  of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on fornication, crimes against nature and unnatural and lascivious act. The aforementioned acts are  punishable by a fine or jail term.
    Actions taken:
introduced on January 3, 2001; referred to Committee on Judiciary
July 2, 2001; accompanied study order H4280
    Status: pending in committee

Virginia

HB 1081
    Author: Delegate Robert H. Brink
                   General Assembly Bldg Rm. 817
                   Capitol Square  
                   Richmond, VA 23219
    Purpose: Would decriminalize sodomy between consenting adults with the exception that sodomy in public would remain a Class 6 felony.  The bill also provides that solicitation of carnal knowledge would be a Class 6 felony.
    Actions taken:
introduced on January 9, 2002; referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
February 8, 2002 ; incorporated by Committee for Courts of Justice with HB 1140
    Status: pending in committee

Rhode Island

Wisconsin

    AB 142
    Author: Assemblywoman Arline M. Friscia
                    249 Main St.
                    Woodbridge, NJ 07001
                    (732)-634-2526
    Purpose: Would prohibit discrimination with respect to prices charged by sellers of services against consumers on the basis of their marital status, familial status, sex, sexual orientation, age, race, creed, color, national origin, or ancestry.
    Last action: 
January 11, 2000
referred to Assembly Commerce Committee
    Status:   died in committee

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