Friday, May 16, 2008

CA Same Sex marriage chronology

I have submitted an article on the CA ssm ruling, so I can't say much until it appears in print (make that, in electrons.) Anyhow, in the course of researching that article, I came across this chronology of key events in CA's policy march toward same sex marriage.
I discovered that one of the facts on the list is not quite right.
— 2002: Domestic partners given additional rights under state law, including the right to draft wills for each other ...

OK, that doesn't make sense. Do I have the right to draft a will for my husband? I don't think so. I think this statement is referring to AB2216 in 2002, which provided for intestate succession for domestic partners. That is, if a domestic partner dies without a will, their estate will be distributed to their surviving partner and any blood relatives, on the same terms as married couples. I think that is what the note in the Mercury News chronology is referring to.
You can get information about AB 2216 by going here, and clicking on the 2001-2002 session on the drop-down menu. Then type in either AB 2216 or just "domestic partners," and this bill should pop up.

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