‘Reasonable’ new family law on hold, pending Referendum 71-signature verification

Moeller emphasizes his reasons for supporting domestic-partners policy

July 31, 2009

CLARK COUNTY – The state Secretary of State’s office is working to check the approximately 138,000 signatures turned in recently for Referendum 71 – a potential state-ballot measure that would overturn what one lawmaker calls “a fair, commonsense policy created for domestic partners and their loved ones who simply want to make a loving and committed family.”

State Rep. Jim Moeller said today (Friday, July 31) that the referendum seeks to topple this year’s successful legislation. He said he voted for the legislation in the 2009 session because “it’s the just and reasonable course for our state to set – not only for domestic partners, themselves, but every bit as importantly for their families as well.

“That’s exactly what we approved this year – a just and reasonable policy to make sure that our state law guarantees the same rights and responsibilities for registered domestic partners and their families as the law guarantees for married spouses and their families,” said Moeller, D-Vancouver.

“Actually, it seems to me that this legislation is even more about protecting the lives and well-being of families than it is about respecting the rights and privileges of couples. And yes, providing more security for domestic partners and their families is certainly even more important in these tumultuous economic times.”

The Domestic Partnership Registry was created in 2007, and the registry is open to same-gender couples and senior-citizen couples. The registry is maintained in the state Secretary of State’s office, and adult couples may register as domestic partners if:
* The partners are the same gender.
* The partners are different genders and one of them is – or both of them are – at least 62 years old.

In a recent press release, the Secretary of State’s office said: “Sponsors of Referendum 71, hoping to force a public vote this fall on the state’s new ‘everything but marriage’ domestic partnership bill, have brought in what they estimate are at least 138,000 voter signatures.

“The bare minimum to qualify for the Nov. 3 statewide ballot is 120,577,” continues the press release, “but traditionally an average of about 18 percent [of signatures] turn out to be invalid. The state Elections Division has recommended that referendum sponsors bring in a 25 percent pad, for a total of about 150,000 or more.”

Moeller pointed out that the new state law approved in the successful legislation “was supposed to go into effect this past Sunday, July 26.

“But now it’s on hold while the folks in the Secretary of State’s office do their signature-verification work.”

If the referendum goes to the ballot, the new state standard will stay on hold till the fall election. Then, on the November ballot, the voters will be voting “yes” or “no” on the legislation – not on the referendum procedure. It will be the outcome of that election that will finally determine the law of the state.

The verification-process requires that each signature must be checked, and that review process could take at least till the end of August.

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