No price tag can be put on discrimination. However, state legislators who exaggerate the financial impact of domestic partnership legislation, in order to mask their discriminatory ‘no’ votes as fiscal prudence, will no longer have this cloak to hide behind. A study released this week, commissioned by The Williams Project of UCLA School of Law and the Institute for Gay and Lesbian Strategic Studies (IGLSS), found that AB 205, a bill currently before the state Assembly that would provide same-sex couples in California with almost all of the same rights and responsibilities as married couples, could save the state upwards of $10 million. The study found that the savings would come from decreasing the number of individuals eligible for means-tested state benefit programs. This means that AB 205 will cause the income of a person’s domestic partner to be included when determining eligibility for state benefit programs.

“Even if only a small percentage of individuals living with partners register and become ineligible for public benefits,” said the study’s co-author, Dr. Lee Badgett, “California is likely to reduce its expenditures on these programs by more than $11.5 million each year.”

The study also found that AB 205 would potentially increase sales tax revenues from tourism and decrease state income tax revenues, while having only a minor effect on administrative costs, state employee benefits and the state court system.

In the GLBT community, we have long seen through the economic impact excuse used by conservative lawmakers who don’t want their discriminatory or homophobic stances to be exposed, as well as moderate and otherwise gay-friendly politicians who fear backlash from their constituents or damage to their careers. This pretext is often used when voting against bills such as AB 205, authored by Assemblymember Jackie Goldberg, or Assemblymember Christine Kehoe’s AB 17 (also currently before the State Assembly), which would require all state contractors who offer spousal benefits to also offer domestic partner benefits.

At press time on May 28, the Assembly Appropriations Committee was scheduled to vote on whether or not to remove AB 205 from “suspense,” basically a ranking of low priority given to bills estimated to cost the state over $150,000. The Gay and Lesbian Times will report on the results of the committee’s vote next week. However, with a study showing a savings of $8-10 million each year to the state budget, it is unfathomable that the bill would be delayed any longer.

Geoffrey Kors, the executive director for Equality California, which commissioned the study, was in San Diego last week for a panel discussion on domestic partner rights.

“It is a position that will give us a really strong argument with a lot of the Republicans or moderate Democrats who are not that supportive and say that it costs too much,” Kors said of the study. “It’s very helpful to show that it will save the state money at a time when there is a financial crisis.”

“It really makes those against it limited to a very conservative social agenda,” he added. “It clarifies who people are when they come out against it.”

If AB 205 passes, it will grant domestic partners and their children decision making authority for funeral arrangements and disposition of remains, community property, protection from threats and crimes against the families of public officials, custody provisions and child support obligations, access to divorce court, and death benefits for surviving partners of firefighters and police officers. The bill will also require mutual responsibility for debts, disclosures of conflicts of interest and joint assessment of income for determining eligibility for state government assistance programs.

The full Assembly must vote on AB 205 by June 6, a date that is rapidly approaching. The implications for our community and its struggle for equality are immeasurable. We urge you to contact your local Assembly representative, as well as friends and family members outside of the gay-friendly 76th Assembly District. Urge them to let their Assembly representative know that they must vote for this bill, that their constituents are aware of this recent study, and that there will be no excuses this time.

To contact your local representative, visit www.eqca.com.