Lobby for Individual Freedom & Equality (LIFE) WANTS COMMUNITY INPUT ON "DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP" The California L.I.F.E./AIDS Lobby proposes to pursue a bill through the Legislature which will define "domestic partnership." This would strictly be a stand-alone bill now; not attached to any particular issue such as health care, survivorship, hospital visitations, gay family values and the like. But such a definition would establish a base or platform for such issues later on. The LOBBY believes it would be very advantageous for our community to establish such a definition in statute, rather than wait for someone else to do it in a manner possibly harmful to us. The definition need not apply to only gays and lesbians, but could also apply to seniors, live-in unmarried relationships, disabled, etc. LIFE would like to receive input from the gay and lesbian community (LIFE members or not) as to: [1] The need or desirability of establishing such a definition in statute, and, [2] The proposed definition presented below, which is based on definitions already in place in San Francisco and Berkeley. This issue will be a major point of discussion in the next LIFE meeting July 31, so input is needed by July 1, 1993. Please make your comments in writing and send them to: L.I.F.E./AIDS Lobby 926 J Street, Suite 1020 Sacramento, CA 95814 Attn: Regina Aragon The Lobby wants to generate a lot of community debate on this subject, so the more and varied the input, the better! So get your comments in and encourage your friends to do the same! Thank you. * * * * * * * * PROPOSED DEFINITION OF DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP *Domestic Partners.* Domestic Partners are two adults who have chosen to share one another's lives in an intimate and committed relationship of mutual caring. The requirements to be Domestic Partners are: 1. the two must live together; 2. the two must agree to be jointly responsible for each other's basic living expenses during the Domestic Partnership; 3. neither person may be married or a member of another Domestic Partnership; 4. the two must not be related by blood in a way which would prevent them from being married to each other; 5. both must be over 18; 6. the two must sign a Declaration. *Live Together.* "Live together" means that two people share the same place to live. It is not necessary that the legal right to possess the place be in both of their names. Two people may live together even if one or both have additional places to live. Domestic Partners do not cease to live together if one leaves the shared place but intends to return. *Joint Responsibility for Basic Living Expenses.* "Basic living expenses" means basic food and shelter. It also means any other cost, such as for medical care, if some or all of the cost is paid as a benefit because a person is another person's domestic partner. "Joint responsibility" means that each partner agrees to provide for the other partner's basic living expenses if the partner is unable to provide for herself or himself. Anyone to whom these expenses are owed can enforce this responsibility. *Declaration of Domestic Partnership.* A "Declaration of Domestic Partnership" is a form provided by the county clerk. By signing it, two people agree to be jointly responsible for basic living expenses which they incur during the domestic partnership and that this agreement can be enforced by anyone to whom those expenses are owed. They also state under penalty of perjury that they met the definition of domestic partnership when the signed the statement, that neither is married, that they are not related to each other in a way which would bar marriage in California, and that neither had a different domestic partner less than six months before they signed. This last condition does not apply if the previous domestic partner dies. This form will also require each partner to provide a mailing address. (from San Francisco's ordinance) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wayne McCaughan Bitnet: DS000@CALPOLY __________ VM Systems Programmer Internet: ds000@oasis.calpoly.edu \ / Information Systems Voice: (805)756-7667 Silence=Death California Polytechnic State Univ. FAX: (805)756-1536 Action=Life San Luis Obispo, CA USA 93407 \/