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WAFST - 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.
A coalition of organizations including
American Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of Teachers, American Friends Service Committee, American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League, Art With Heart, Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of WA State, Asian Pacific Islander Women and Family Safety Center, Associated Ministries of Pierce County, Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship Social Justice Coaltion, Blue Mountain Heart to Heart, Cedar River Clinics, Central Washington Progress, Children's Alliance, Compassion and Choices, Congregation Kol Ami, CREDO Mobile, Economic Opportunities Institute, El Centro de la Raza, Entre Hermanos, Equal Rights Washington, First United Methodist Church of Tacoma, Fuse, Green River Community College GSA, Greater Seattle Business Association, Human Rights Campaign, Ingersoll Gender Center, Inland Northwest LGBT Center, Inland Oasis, Inlaws & Outlaws, Japanese American Citizens League, Jewish Family Service, Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, Join the Impact, King County Coaltion Against Domestic Violence, Kitsap County HIV AIDS Foundation, Lake Washington Educational Association, Lambda Legal, Latino Political Action Committee, Legal Voice, Lifelong Aids Alliance, Lutheran Public Policy Network of WA State, Micah Project, Minority Executive Directors Coalition, Morningside Academy, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, New Americans Action Fund, One America, Organization of Chinese Americans of Greater Seattle, Out In Tacoma, Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane, People for Peace, Justice, and Healing, Parents and Friends of Lesbian and Gays (Chapters throughout the state), Pierce County AIDS Foundation, Pinay Sa Seattle, Planned Parenthood Votes! Washington, Pride at Work, Pride Foundation, Puget Sound Chapter Old Lesbians Organizing for Change, Q Law, Queer Kidz, Raising Our Asian Pacific American Representation, Religious Coalition for Equality, Safe Schools Coalition, Sahngnoksoo, Seattle Gay News, Seattle-King County Advisory Council for Aging & Disability Services, Seattle Metropolitan Election Committee (SEAMEC), Seattle Out and Proud, Seattle Pride, Seattle University Outlaws, SEIU Local 775, Snohomish County Democrats, Tacoma Lesbian Concern, Tacoma Rainbow Center, Tacoma United for Fairness, Teamsters Local 117, UFCW Local 21, Unite Here Local 8, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, Vancouver Firefighters Union IAFF Local 452, Vancouver First Congregational United Church of Christ, Vista Youth Center, WA State Council of Firefighters, Washington Education Association, Washington Gender Alliance, Washington State Stonewall Democrats, Washington State Council of Fire Fighters, Washington State Psychological Association, Whatcom Human Rights Task Force, Women's Funding Alliance, YWCA Clark County 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 22, 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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