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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Do you have a news tip? newstips@heraldnet.com | 425.339.3400   Published: Saturday, October 31, 2009 R-71 at a glance Referendum 71 asks voters to either approve or reject the state’s so-called “everything but marriage” law that was passed earlier this year. The bill laws gives additional spousal rights and benefits to domestic partners, including same-sex couples and unmarried senior heterosexual couples, in various areas of state law. Among them: n The right to use sick leave to care for a domestic partner. n The right to wages and benefits when a domestic partner is injured, and to unpaid wages upon the death of a domestic partner. n The right to unemployment and disability insurance benefits. n The right to workers’ compensation coverage. n Insurance rights, including rights under group policies, policy rights after the death of a domestic partner, conversion rights and continuing coverage rights. n Rights related to adoption, child custody and child support. n Business succession rights. ——— The current domestic partnership law already addresses: n Some public assistance provisions, such as access to state-funded domestic violence shelters. n Rights and obligations for public officials’ domestic partners to file public disclosure reports. n Probate and trust laws. n Guardianship and power of attorney issues. n Judicial process and victim rights, including testimonial privileges that allow domestic partners the right to refuse to testify against each other in court. n Dissolution, parenting plans and child support laws. n Community property and other property rights and responsibilities. n Homestead exemption laws. n Health care facility visitation rights. n Ability to grant consent for health care for a partner who is not competent. Health care providers can disclose patient information to the patient’s partner. n Title and rights to cemetery plots and rights of interment. n Right to control disposition of a deceased partner’s remains, including right to make anatomical gifts, authorize autopsies and consent to remove partner’s remains from a cemetery plot. n Inheritance rights when the domestic partner dies without a will. n Administration of an estate if the domestic partner dies without a will or if the named representative declines or is unable to serve. n Making domestic partners beneficiaries of wrongful-death actions. Lawsuits for wrongful death could be brought on behalf of a surviving domestic partner. n Requiring that information recorded on death certificates include domestic partnership status.

1. Marysville man faces child pornography and rape charges 2. Mukilteo teacher a finalist in national country music contest 3. Truck crash near Marysville ties up northbound I-5 traffic 4. Marysville man arrested as rapes of three kids investigated 5. Laid-off Boeing workers could qualify for more benefits 6. When taggers strike in Everett, city picks up the cleanup bill 7. Silvertips rally late, beat Spokane in OT 8. Kids talk turkey: What Thanksgiving is all about 9. One last chance for two Jackson High School players 10. Don't try this at home with your turkey 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Holiday Lightings & Santa Sightings • Ruling in the pool • Archbishop Murphy takes title • A season of performing arts • Budget numbers have official fuming • Wildcats move on to 2A semifinals • Holiday Bazaars & Fairs Calendar • Edmonds’ Westgate Chapel serves up hospitality for holiday • Mavericks fall • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed • Cascade Bank earns $1.6 million