Jolt
Afternoon Jolt: Gays and Immigrants
Today's Loser: Opponents of Gay Marriage
A bill we didn't really notice during the first half the of the legislative session, freshman (and lesbian) Rep. Laurie Jinkins' (D-27, Tacoma) bill to update Washington State's domestic partnership laws so that not only are domestic partnerships and civil unions from other states recognized in Washington State, but so are gay marriages, had its first hearing in the senate today after passing the house earlier this month.
Evidently, opponents of gay marriage get that they can't stop history, because judging from the hearing in the senate government operations committee this afternoon, they haven't taken notice of the bill either. Just one person testified in opposition.
The bill makes an important fix to state law. When the house passed an earlier iteration of domestic partner rights, making sure legal gay partnerships in other states are recognized in Washington state, the sponsor, Rep. Jamie Pedersen (D-43, Capitol Hill), played it politically cool and left out gay marriage.
Jinkins' bill corrects that. It's not that a gay couple from Iowa or Massachusetts (where gay marriage is legal) would be recognized as a gay marriage here, but they would at least be recognized as a legal union.
Today's Winner: Immigrants
In a move that could bring the state in line with the city of Seattle today, the state house public safety committee unanimously passed senate legislation that will reduce the maximum sentence for gross misdemeanors in the state to 364 days.
Under current law, a 365-day maximum sentence means a gross misdemeanor can be bumped up to an “aggravated felony,” potentially opening legal immigrants up to deportation.
Before city attorney Pete Holmes changed the rule at the city of Seattle level, defense attorneys would typically seek a maximum 364 day sentence for immigrants, sending up a red flag for ICE to review the defendant’s immigration status. The legislation that passed committee today would help protect legal immigrants.
A bill we didn't really notice during the first half the of the legislative session, freshman (and lesbian) Rep. Laurie Jinkins' (D-27, Tacoma) bill to update Washington State's domestic partnership laws so that not only are domestic partnerships and civil unions from other states recognized in Washington State, but so are gay marriages, had its first hearing in the senate today after passing the house earlier this month.
Evidently, opponents of gay marriage get that they can't stop history, because judging from the hearing in the senate government operations committee this afternoon, they haven't taken notice of the bill either. Just one person testified in opposition.
The bill makes an important fix to state law. When the house passed an earlier iteration of domestic partner rights, making sure legal gay partnerships in other states are recognized in Washington state, the sponsor, Rep. Jamie Pedersen (D-43, Capitol Hill), played it politically cool and left out gay marriage.
Jinkins' bill corrects that. It's not that a gay couple from Iowa or Massachusetts (where gay marriage is legal) would be recognized as a gay marriage here, but they would at least be recognized as a legal union.
Today's Winner: Immigrants
In a move that could bring the state in line with the city of Seattle today, the state house public safety committee unanimously passed senate legislation that will reduce the maximum sentence for gross misdemeanors in the state to 364 days.
Under current law, a 365-day maximum sentence means a gross misdemeanor can be bumped up to an “aggravated felony,” potentially opening legal immigrants up to deportation.
Before city attorney Pete Holmes changed the rule at the city of Seattle level, defense attorneys would typically seek a maximum 364 day sentence for immigrants, sending up a red flag for ICE to review the defendant’s immigration status. The legislation that passed committee today would help protect legal immigrants.
