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Decline to Sign Ref. 71 Petition
PLEDGE TO DECLINE TO SIGN REFERENDUM 71
Ask your friends, family and
co-workers to help us keep
Washington's Domestic Partnership Law intact.
PLEDGE TO DECLINE TO SIGN REFERENDUM 71
A coalition of organizations--Working under the banner of Washington Families Standing Together--including:
ACLU, Anti-Defamation League, Equal Rights Washington,
FUSE, GSBA, Human Rights Campaign, Jewish Family Services, Jewish Federation of Seattle, Join the Impact, Latino Political Action Committee, Legal Voice, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, One America, Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane, PFLAG Bellevue, PFLAG Bellingham, PFLAG Southwest Washignton, PFLAG Lower Columbia, PFLAG Friday Harbor, PFLAG Seattle, Planned Parenthood Votes Washington, Pride at Work, Pride Foundation, ROAR, Religious Coalition For Equality, Sahngnoksoo, SEIU 775, Snohomish County Democrats, Spokane County Democrats, Tacoma United For Fairness, Temple B'nai Torah, The Task Force, Unite Here Local 8, UFCW 21, Washington Gender Alliance, and the Washington State Psychological Association all say:
PLEASE DECLINE TO SIGN REFERENDUM 71 PETITIONS!!!
Read the Seattle Times Decline to Sign Editorial
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: I PLEDGE TO DECLINE TO SIGN REFERENDUM 71 PETITIONS
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
I pledge to DECLINE TO SIGN REFERENDUM 71 PETITIONS. I am opposed to discrimination and believe that all Washington families deserve equal protection under the law. This referendum seeks to repeal the Domestic Partnership Expansion Law of 2009, passed by the legislature, that gives registered domestic partners wherever they live in Washington many of the rights and protections already enjoyed by legally married couples.
If the backers of Referendum 71 collect enough signatures to get it on the November ballot, then the question on the ballot will be: Should this bill be approve or rejected? In order to keep the law protecting families we will have to VOTE APPROVE.
Signed by:
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Campaign Launched:
May 07, 2009
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New Law Protects Rights
of All Washington Families
Say Yes to domestic partnerships
What is the Domestic Partnership Law ‑ SB 5688?
Senate Bill 5688 is a law ensuring that all Washington families are treated the same, with the same protections, the same rights and the same obligations as their neighbors. Under this law, registered domestic partners (same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples where at least one partner is over age 62), and married couples, are treated equally under the law in all parts of the state.
What is included in the new law?
Key rights and obligations in the law include:
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Death benefits for the partners of police and firefighters killed in the line of duty
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Pension benefits for the partners of teachers and other public employees
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Victims’ rights, including the right to receive notifications and benefits allowances
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The right to adopt a partner’s child without paying for a home study
The areas covered by the law include labor and employment law, pensions, survivor, and other public employee benefits, family law, insurance rights, higher education, banks, financial institutions and loan agencies, creditors’ rights and business licenses.
What is Referendum 71?
In 2007, the Washington Legislature established a domestic partnership registry and granted registered couples rights to make health care decisions for a sick partner, to visit a partner in the hospital, the right to consent to an autopsy, and some property rights. In 2008, the Legislature extended these rights to include community property rights, probate rights, joint responsibility for debts, and other protections. This session, the Legislature passed this third law to add the legal protections and obligations listed above. SB 5688 becomes law on July 26 unless the opponents of the law collect 120,577 signatures to put a referendum on the November ballot. Referendum 71 would ask voters whether SB 5688 should be retained as the law or repealed. A vote to “APPROVE” keeps the law.
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