Congrats to the happy couples!

House Democrats want to congratulate all the happy couples who got hitched, or are planning to get hitched, now that marriage equality is the law in Washington.

We have a slideshow with couples, families, and supporters at Seattle City Hall last Sunday. We’d like to hear your stories and see your photos as well. Send us your #MEDayWA wedding stories or photos and we may feature them on our website.

Read this story in Spanish here.

They're here!

It's been a landmark year for marriage equality in Washington state. In early January, Governor Chris Gregoire announced her support for same-sex marriage. Just a few weeks later, the House of Representatives approved the legislation and Governor Gregoire signed the bill into law on February 13^th.
Though the change was scheduled to take effect on June 7^th, 2012, opponents turned in enough signatures to put the legislation up for a public vote in November's election. In case you've been living under a rock, voters approved Referendum 74 making Washington one of the first four states in the nation to vote in favor of same-sex marriage.

The process will come full circle on December 6^th when the law goes into effect.

In preparation for this change, the state Department of Health rolled out its new and much-improved marriage certificate yesterday afternoon. The new certificate makes several changes and allows for folks to identify as a bride, groom or a spouse. County auditors will now hustle to update their computer systems and issue the appropriate forms ahead of the deadline.

In case those auditors are wondering just how down to the wire they are, King County is offering a marriage equality countdown clock on their website. The website also provides helpful information and links to important documents for soon-to-be newlyweds!

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Report: Marriage equality means jobs for Washington

Wedding bells for same-sex couples will bring an estimated $88.5 million to Washington state's economy in the next three years, according to a new report.

The Williams Institute did an analysis to predict the economic effect of the new laws in Maine, Maryland and Washington state, where lawmakers approved marriage equality and voters recently affirmed that decision after an initiative.

The Williams Institute based their estimates on census data and previous experiences in other states that have legalized same-sex marriage. The report predicts that half of all same-sex couples will marry in the first three years under the new law.

The economic projection does not include out-of-state couples traveling to these three states to get married. If you include those weddings, according to the study, it boosts the economic and jobs data even more. In the first year that Iowa had same-sex marriage, about 1,200 couples came to the state to hold wedding there. Such marriage tourism would boost Maine's economic activity from same-sex marriage from $15.5 million to $25 million and create up to 250 new jobs, according to the think tank.

Here's a link to the Williams Institute report: Wedding Spending in Maine, Maryland, and Washington will generate over $166 Million in the First Three Years

And here's the AP story: Wedding trade expects boost from gay-marriage laws

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Busy week for high-profile court cases

Three significant court rulings were issued this week – two here in Washington and one at the federal level.

Initiative 1053: Supermajority Tax Requirements
Approved by voters in 2010, the Tim Eyman-sponsored I-1053 imposed a two-thirds supermajority requirement on all legislation that raises taxes. A group of HDC lawmakers joined a coalition in support of a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the measure by stating the initiative violates Article 2, Section 22 of the state constitution.

Passage of bills. No bill shall become a law unless on its final passage the vote be taken by yeas and nays, the names of the members voting for and against the same be entered on the journal of each house, and a majority of the member elected in each house be recorded thereon as voting in its favor.

At issue is whether the majority requirement in this section is merely a minimum requirement or both a minimum and maximum requirement. The coalition successfully argued the latter according to King County Superior Court Judge Bruce Heller. The judge did note, however, that a two-thirds majority threshold to raise taxes could be imposed, but such a change would require an amendment to the state constitution. Constitutional amendments require two-thirds support in both the House and Senate and a simple majority vote of the people.

You can read more about this story here and here. This case will likely be appealed to the state Supreme Court.

Washington State Supreme Court

Liquor Privatization
The state Supreme Court ruled in favor of the voter-approved I-1183 that privatized liquor sales in Washington. Opponents of the initiative argued that it violated the state’s “single subject” rule that requires a legislative bill or public initiative contain only one subject.  (This rule, for example, prevents sponsors from including farm subsidies in an education reform bill.)

The court ruling clears the way for private retailers to begin selling liquor as early as tomorrow, June 1. More on this story can be found here and here.

Same-Sex Marriage
The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled today that the federal Defense of Marriage Act, also known as “DOMA,” is unconstitutional. The ruling has been stayed pending a possible ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in a similar case, but is nonetheless a major victory for marriage equality advocates.

Washington lawmakers enacted a state-version of DOMA in 1998. Those provisions have largely been rolled back over the last 14 years. During the 2012 legislative session, bi-partisan majorities in both the House and Senate approved SB 6239 giving full marriage rights and benefits to same-sex partners. The bill was signed by the governor, but will likely be on the ballot in November as a referendum to the voters.

You can read the courts’ decisions here:
I-1053 tax decision
I-1183 liquor decision
DOMA decision

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.

On the evening of April 4th, 1968, our country was robbed of one of the greatest civil rights leaders in our history, an event that sparked race riots and tremendous emotional outpouring across our nation.  Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated 44 years ago today while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee.

Upon hearing the news of Dr. King’s assassination, then-Sen. Robert F. Kennedy said:

“Martin Luther King dedicated his life to love and to justice between fellow human beings. He died in the cause of that effort. In this difficult day, in this difficult time for the United States, it's perhaps well to ask what kind of a nation we are and what direction we want to move in…[W]e can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand, and to comprehend, and replace that violence, that stain of bloodshed that has spread across our land, with an effort to understand, compassion, and love.”

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Photo credit: Kelson

While Sen. Kennedy was referring to racial discrimination when he gave this speech, his words can be applied to the struggle for marriage equality in our time.

The state of Washington furthered Dr. King’s dream of love and justice between fellow human beings during the 2012 session with the passage of marriage equality. We showed the rest of our nation and the whole world what kind of state we are – the kind of state where no one is a second-class citizen.

Well done, Washington.

To read this post in Spanish, click here.

Week 5 House Floor Speech Highlights

It was a historic week in the state House. After a very civil House floor debate earlier this week, Washington is on its way to becoming the seventh state in the nation to legalize equal marriage. The House also passed measures that will improve the lives of foster children, expanded suicide prevention training, and honored the National Guard. Check out these clips from this week's floor debates.


SB 6239 - Marriage Equality
Rep. Jamie Pedersen


Rep. Drew Hansen


Rep. Sam Hunt


HB 2592 - Extending Opportunities for Foster Care Children 
Rep. Reuven Carlyle



HB 2366 - Suicide Prevention Education 
Rep. Tina Orwall



HR 4655 - Honoring the National Guard 
Rep. Larry Seaquist


To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Rep. Laurie Jinkins on CNN!

Yesterday, history was made in the House of Representatives with the passing of the Marriage Equality Act.

During the floor debate leading up to the monumental vote, members on both sides of the aisle gave impassioned and emotional speeches in support of marriage equality and – believe me – there wasn’t a dry eye in democratic side of the house.

In fact, the speech given by Rep. Laurie Jinkins was so moving that the video was posted on CNN and you can watch it here. 

Here is the full text of the speech:

This is about family. About kids. It’s about love and commitment. It’s about encouraging people who want to spend their lives together to send out invitations, buy a wedding dress and dance.

Because life isn’t about having a 5,000 square-foot house and four BMWs in the garage.

We talk a lot about education here and how a college degree is the surest ticket to the American Dream.

A decent house in a safe neighborhood with good schools. Getting a good education and a good job, with benefits like health care – we work so hard for those things because they let us do what matters most: taking care of our family.

I don’t drive a BMW. I drive a 1999 Honda and my partner drives a minivan. My family and I live in a modest home in Tacoma, not a mansion.

And that doesn’t matter.

It doesn’t matter one bit.

Because when I come home from work every night, to my partner of 23 years and to our son Wulf, I have all the riches and treasure a woman could want.

So I am voting YES for families,

YES for the two female sailors who showed the world the right way to walk off a warship in Bremerton,

YES because I’m proud of the courage shown by senators and representatives from both parties,

and YES not just because marriage is a good and noble institution to encourage and celebrate, but because all we do here – education and jobs and health care – in the end, we do all those things for one, simple, beautiful reason:
FAMILY.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Next stop: Governor's desk!

Photo: TVW

The Washington House of Representatives just passed the Marriage Equality Act by a vote of 55 - 43.  The Senate passed the bill last week, so the bill is heading straight to the desk of Governor Gregoire, who has said she will sign it early next week.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Marriage equality slated for House vote today

The whole House will consider the issue of marriage equality for the first time this afternoon when they begin debate of SB 6239.  The companion measure is sponsored in the House by Rep. Jamie Pedersen and 49 other members.

We are expected to start debate around 1:00 pm, and you can follow it on TVW. We will also be live-tweeting during the debate; please follow us @WaHouseDems.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

One step closer...

Washington is one step closer to becoming the seventh state to authorize marriage equality. The Senate voted 28-21 in favor of allowing same-sex unions on Wednesday evening.

SB 6239 sponsored by Sen. Ed Murray (D-Seattle) was approved after 90 minutes of debate on Wednesday. Amendments that strengthened the religious exemption clauses were added to the bill with bi-partisan support. 

Washington currently allows for same-sex couples to register as domestic partners, which provides the same legal benefits as marriage.  However, marriage equality proponents argue domestic partnerships are essentially “separate, but equal” relationships, which historically have proven to be less than equal. For example, during a public hearing on the issue, same-sex couples described difficult and frustrating conversations with hospital staff concerning visitation rights.

You can read more about this historic vote here, here, and here. You can watch the entire floor debate on TVW’s website here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

One step closer to marriage equality in Washington

Rep. Jamie Pedersen, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, and his family testify in favor of HB 2516  

A week ago the House Judiciary Committee heard moving testimony from families, military veterans, religious leaders, and community organizers in favor of House Bill 2516, which would make Washington the seventh state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage.

This afternoon the equal protection measure cleared a key hurdle when the committee took executive action. 

The HDC has supported Washington’s march toward the establishment and maintenance of equality for gay, lesbian, and bisexual citizens in recent years. This bill builds upon the work already carried out; including the voter-approved Referendum 71, which established domestic partnership laws in our state.

To read this story in Spanish, click here. 

Marriage equality has first hearings today

Will Washington become the next state to pass marriage equality?  Today marks the next step toward answering that question as committees in both the House and Senate hear bills that would make civil marriage between same-gender couples legal.

SB 6239 will be heard this morning at 10:00 in Senate Hearing Room 2, and HB 2516 will be heard at 1:30 this afternoon in House Hearing Room A.

TVW plans to cover both hearings, as well as a press conference on marriage equality at noon.

Here's a sample of the news coverage on the issue from over the weekend.

Committees to hold gay marriage hearings Monday

A state with justice and marriage for all | Jerry Large

Gay marriage gaining momentum in WA Legislature 

To read this story in Spanish, click here.

Governor calls on legislators to approve marriage equality

Governor Chris Gregoire made a historic call for marriage equality this morning in Olympia. Joined by Reps. Jamie Pedersen, Marko Liias, and Laurie Jinkins, Gregoire called on the legislature to deliver her a bill legalizing same-sex marriage by the conclusion of the regular legislative session.

“Today, I’m announcing my support for a law that gives same-sex couples in our state the right to receive a marriage license in Washington- the same right given to heterosexual couples,” said Gregoire.

In the past few years alone, House Democrats have taken significant steps to ensure equal protection under the law for gay and lesbians across Washington.  Just two years ago, the legislature passed and voters OK’ed Referendum 71, which expanded rights for same-sex couples but fell short of marriage equality.

Following the governor’s announcement, House Speaker Frank Chopp said “Our caucus has a proud history of supporting equality for all people in Washington. Every family should have the same rights and responsibilities under the law, and I appreciate Governor Gregoire’s support of marriage equality.”

“It’s good for families, it’s good for the state, and it’s the right thing to do,” added Speaker Chopp. 

If signed into law, Washington would be the seventh state in the country to expand full marriage rights to same-sex couples.

You can find the full text of the governor’s speech here, as well as the video here.

To read this story in Spanish, click here.