Friday, January 3, 2002

A story published by the Bay Area Reporter reports that several California-based gay rights groups and state politicians believe the best way to grant same-sex couples the rights given to heterosexual married couples is through the state's domestic partnership law.

In January, state Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles) will introduce a new bill in the state Legislature that will seek to add the myriad rights and benefits straight couples receive through marriage to the dozen or so rights same-sex couples already receive by becoming domestic partners.

The legislation is expected to be one of the highest priorities for the LGBT caucus, composed of the five state legislators. By dropping the term "civil unions," the lawmakers contend they can not only muscle the bill to passage, but convince Governor Gray Davis to sign it into law.

"You tell me. What is the difference between domestic partnership protections and civil union protections? It's just words," said Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), one of the first openly gay men to serve in the Statehouse. "We are probably going to be staying with the vehicle of domestic partnerships rather than create a new entity like civil unions. Californians, along with state legislators here, are familiar and comfortable with the term and concept of domestic partnerships."

The strategy is a complete reversal from earlier bids in 2002 to create Vermont-styled civil unions in California. Under court order, Vermont's Legislature created a system similar to marriage in which gay couples could be granted the same rights as their heterosexual counterparts. Governor Howard Dean, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president in 2004, signed the bill into law in 2000.

Although his civil union bill failed to move out of an Assembly committee and was tabled, State Assemblyman Paul Koretz (D-West Hollywood) vowed to push for the passage of civil union legislation for as long as he was in office. For the time being, Koretz has shelved his civil unions bill. Instead, he is planning to be a co-signer of the Goldberg bill once it is introduced at the end of January.

Gov. Gray Davis has long been on record as opposed to gay marriage and has refused to take a stand on the issue of civil unions. During the March interview with the B.A.R. in his San Francisco office, Davis said he would wait until the task force presented him with a report to decide on whether to support civil unions.

He did point out his support for domestic partnerships, saying "no state in America has made more progress than California has under my administration. We signed AB 26 and 25, the most sweeping changes in domestic partnership laws."

By passing the Goldberg bill, gay activists and politicians said California can once again take a leadership role looked to by other states.

"This is California's chance to be a leader in the country and to set an example we believe will be followed around the country," said Kors.

"Keep in mind the population of Vermont is about the population of the 13th Assembly District," added Leno. "Of course when Vermont passed its civil union law it was historic and thrilling, but it touched very few people."