Washington

Washington currently offers broad domestic partnerships to same-sex couples and their families. On April 21, 2007, Governor Christine Gregoire signed the Domestic Partner Bill into law. The law took effect on July 23, 2007, approximately one year after the Washington State Supreme Court ruled against marriage equality for same-sex couples (and upheld a state Defense of Marriage Act passed by the legislature in 1998).
 
In 2008 and 2009, the domestic partnership law was expanded to include all of the protections and responsibilities that marriage provides at the state level.

Anti-gay opponents tried to repeal the domestic partnership law in the November 2009 election, but failed. Washington state continues its conversation about the inequalities gay couples and their families face on its path to ending the exclusion of gay couples from marriage.
 
On January 4, 2010, Governor Chris Gregoire announced that she will introduce a marriage bill in the upcoming legislative session. Freedom to Marry looks forward to working with Governor Gregoire, state legislators, and marriage advocates around the state to secure passage of a marriage bill in 2012.
 
Status: Broad Domestic Partnership, Anti-Marriage Law 
 
Groups Actively Working on Marriage:

 

Washington United for Marriage: Freedom to Marry is proud to be a founding member of Washington United for Marriage, a coalition of organizations, congregations, unions, and businesses working together to secure civil marriage for loving, committed gay and lesbian couples.
 
Equal Rights Washington: Washington's statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights and advocacy organization  
 
Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage for same-sex couples nationwide.
 

Blog Posts Related to Washington

Marriage bill gets its first Republican cosponsor in the Washington Senate

State Senator Steve Litzow announced over the weekend that he will be the first Senate Republican to cosponsor the marriage bill in Washington state.

Governor Gregoire will introduce marriage legislation in Washington

Days before the start of the state's legislative session, Washington Governor Chris Gregoire announced that she will introduce legislation to extend marriage to gay and lesbian couples.

Marriage campaign launches in Washington state

Freedom to Marry is proud to support Washington United for Marriage, the coalition announced this week to secure marriage for gay and lesbian couples in Washington State.

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Resources Related to Washington

Party Principles: Support for the Freedom to Marry by State and National Political Parties

A listing of both state and national political parties that have made strong statements in support of the freedom to marry.

Moving the Middle on Marriage:  Lessons from Maine and Washington

If advocates can successfully tap into the true spirit of marriage and convince the middle that gay couples want to get married for the same reasons that straight couples do, we think we will be able to address the middle’s remaining concerns and help move that group, and the country, more quickly towards support for marriage.

Washington Census Snapshot

Demographic and economic information about same-sex couples and same-sex couples raising children in Maine.

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