Two bills address gay rights
OLYMPIA – Gay rights quickly climbed to the top of the legislative agenda during the first week of the 2007 session, less than a year after the state Supreme Court upheld Washington’s ban on same-sex marriage.
Two bills dealing with same-sex couples are headed to lawmakers: one to allow same-sex marriage, the other calling for domestic partnership benefits for same-sex couples. Supporters say the dual approach is necessary to extend benefits such as hospital visitation rights and end-of-life decisions to same-sex couples, while continuing to push for full marriage rights.
“Our goal is marriage equity, and we will work for that,” said Rep. Joe McDermott, D-Seattle, one of the Legislature’s five openly gay lawmakers who are working on the measures. “In the meantime, our effort is to provide immediate relief, immediate benefits, to same-sex couples.”
“An incremental approach provides the opportunity to educate people,” said Rep. Dave Upthegrove, D-Des Moines. “People may see that just because these two loved ones can visit each other in the hospital and plan funeral arrangements, the sky isn’t falling.”
State of the State: Saying that “the status quo in Washington is not good enough,” Gov. Chris Gregoire on Tuesday night called on lawmakers to give the state’s children the inheritance they deserve: good schools, a vibrant economy and a healthy environment.
Her annual State of the State address was sprinkled with Eastern Washington references, including calls for a medical school in Spokane and money for the long-sought North-South freeway.
Much of the Democratic governor’s speech, however, was a review of a long list of initiatives that Gregoire has been promoting for weeks: a math and science push in schools, including 750 more teachers in those fields; thousands more children on state-paid health care; better reimbursement for pediatricians; tuition-increase limits at universities; and a freeze on tuition at community colleges.
Republicans called it too expensive.
“I think tonight what we really saw was a classic speech from a big government liberal,” said Rep. Doug Ericksen, R-Bellingham. “Every solution that she offered required new government programs or massive new spending to get it accomplished.”
Meet the freshmen: When lawmakers gathered last week for the opening of the 2007 session, there were three new faces in the Eastern Washington delegation: Sen. Chris Marr and Rep. Don Barlow, both Spokane Democrats, and Rep. Steve Hailey, R-Mesa.