Washington Weeks Away from Legalizing Same Sex Marriage

Washington State is just weeks away from being the seventh state to legalize gay marriage. One state senator has been working for over 15 years to get this legislature enacted. Senator Ed Murray, who lives in Seattle, is an openly gay man. As a long-time supporter of gay rights, he has been working to get equal rights for gay and lesbian couples in Washington since 1997. When he first started campaigning for equal marriage rights, Murray did not believe that it could be accomplished through legislative channels.

However, the support for equal rights in his state has grown significantly since the late nineties. Back then about 30% of people supported gay marriage and a more recent poll shows that over 45 percent of state residents would support it. If the bill is passed, it will completely recognize same-sex marriages while granting most of the same legal rights that heterosexual marriage partners enjoy in Washington. If you have questions related to domestic partnership, take the time to seek answers from a family law attorney in your area.