More than 50 people took advantage of the opportunity to learn about domestic partner rights in California when some of the most knowledgeable people on the issue spoke during The Center’s Domestic Partner Panel Discussion on Friday, May 23. Among those on the panel were Assemblymember and Speaker pro Tem Chris Kehoe, who is a part of the LGBT Caucus in the state capital, State Board of Equalization member John Chiang and the executive director of Equality California (formerly known as CAPE) Geoffrey Kors.

“It was great to see so many people concerned about the basic, fundamental right of relationship recognition and protections,” AJ Davis-Defoe of The Center’s public policy department told the Gay and Lesbian Times. “I hope to see more community involvement as The Center continues to host town hall meetings on issues important to our community.”

Among the topics addressed were the current legal status of same-sex relationships and pending legislation that, if passed, will grant much-needed rights and recognition. Issues concerning tax laws and how they relate to the GLBT community were discussed. Additionally, a notary public was available to register couples as domestic partners during the two-hour event.

The event also marked the official San Diego arrival of Carrie Stone and Elisia Ross from the GAYducks campaign. Stone and Ross, who rode their bikes across the U.S. promoting equal marriage rights, were on hand to discuss their cross-country trek and the laws affecting same-sex partners in other states.

“Here in California we are making great and important strides for full equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Californians,” Kehoe said, kicking off the discussion. “We are the leading state — only Vermont, with its civil unions law, has a better package of protections for [LGBT] citizens. The five of us in the State Assembly and many, many supporters … are in support of equal rights for LGBT Californians.”

Kehoe outlined AB 17 and AB 205, two bills currently waiting for an Assembly vote, and their effects on the GLBT community. AB 17, authored by Kehoe, would require all state contractors who offer spousal benefits to also offer domestic partner benefits. Among the companies who testified before lawmakers in favor of this bill was San Diego-based Fortune 500 company Sempra Energy, which said that offering domestic partner benefits makes for better, happier workers. AB 205 would result in a massive reworking of the entire California civil code, which would grant domestic partners virtually every right and responsibility afforded to married couples by the state.

“It provides crucial protection for domestic partners and their children — whether they are by birth, adoption or stepchildren,” Kehoe said. “It will go through the entire California legal code and insert domestic partner wherever we currently have husband, wife or spouse, so it will be the most thorough reworking of California law for our benefit in the history of the state.”

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.

Adding ammunition to the bill, a study co-authored by UCLA’s Williams Project and the Institute for Gay and Lesbian Strategic Studies (IGLSS) concludes: “The positive effects of AB 205 from higher revenues and lower expenditures will outweigh any negative fiscal impacts. We estimate, conservatively, that AB 205 will result in a net gain of $8.1 to $10.6 million each year for the state budget. This net impact will be the result in savings of means-tested benefit programs, increased sales taxes revenues from tourism, and a decrease in State income taxes. AB 205 will have a minimal impact on the State court system, State employee benefits, and administrative costs.”

The study was commissioned by Equality California. Executive Director Geoffrey Kors says that this kind of study helps clearly define where politicians stand on GLBT rights because, in the past, many lawmakers have used the cost of granting such rights as an excuse for not supporting a bill like AB 205. AB 205 was scheduled for a vote by the Assembly Appropriations Committee on May 28. As per committee rules, any bills estimated to cost over $150,000 are automatically put on “suspense” and delayed until all the other bills have been voted upon.

“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. “While we don’t think there is a cost or price tag that can be put on discrimination, it’s very helpful to show that it will save the state money at a time when there is a financial crisis.”

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

In addition to the information about state assembly bills, John Chiang of the State Board of Equalization talked about tax laws and property tax laws and how changes to those would affect registered domestic partners, especially in the case of property ownership and transferal upon death. A notary public also registered ten couples for domestic partnership at the event.

“That means 20 more people are a step closer to having the rights and protections they deserve,” David-Defeo added. “Couples who choose to register as domestic partners are not only protecting themselves, but are showing lawmakers and voters that there is a multitude of Californians in same-sex relationships who are being denied basic human rights every day.”

AB 17, which requires state contractors to offer domestic partner benefits, is slated for a vote this week. AB 205 has been put on hold by the Assembly Appropriations Committee, though it must be voted on by the assembly before June 6. To learn more about these bills and to contact your elected representative to urge their support, go to the Equality California web site at www.eqca.com.