Reciprocal Partnerships

Reciprocal Partnerships
By Craig Bensen

It has been a good week for social conservatives in Montpelier, Vermont. The folks at Vermont Right to Life saw their Parental Notification (PN) bill clear the House Judiciary Committee just before lunch break on Friday. The PN bill will be put for a vote and floor debate this next Wednesday. This is the furthest any pro-life bill has gotten in 28 years in the VT House.

The same Judiciary Committee also finished the mark- up of draft 1.6 of the Reciprocal Partnership (RP) bill late Friday afternoon.

Earlier in the day the committee received solid testimony from a woman who favors the RP benefits for herself and her close female friend of 30 years -- a platonic relationship. Since she is the full-time caregiver her mother who suffers from Alzheimer's, she had to quit her job and has no healthcare benefits. The RP bill would allow her and her friend, who own the house together, to receive healthcare insurance from her friend's employer. Presently the employer only offers such benefits to married couples and homosexual couples.

The RP bill will be the main topic on the Committee agenda this coming Tuesday. Chair Peg Flory expects to have the bill on the floor sometime next week.

In reaction to this bill, Steve Swayne of Woodstock states, "The proposal also does away with getting a license from a town clerk or having the union certified by a justice of the peace; instead, one would register a partnership in the same way that one registers a dog" and "Modify Civil Unions law by adding a residency requirement, removing the ceremonial aspects, granting Justices of the Peace and Town Clerks 'freedom of conscience,' removing sexual behavior as qualifier, etc." (Steve Swayne is a black, gay man partnered in a Civil Union with a white, gay professor (Dartmouth). Steve is frequently seen knitting while hanging out at the Legislature. Steve and his Civil-union-mate, Mike, testified against Reciprocal Partnerships to the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, May 1st.)

Editor's Note: The republicans had tried once before to amend the civil unions bill so that it would be a law that would includes relatives and heterosexuals living together. They don't like the idea of having a law on the books that supports only "homosexual marriages" even when referred to any other name. Now that the republican are in control of the House, they are still trying to pad the bill to include non-homosexuals into the civil unions law. Homosexuals have been testifying against this bill, because they want to gradually change "civil unions in Vermont" to "recognized Homosexual Marriages in the entire United States." That is why homosexuals are so opposed to the law giving any benefits to any heterosexuals. The text of the Recriprocal Partners can be found at http://www.leg.state.vt.us/baker/hjudprop.htm

Recriprocal Partners would enjoy the following benefits under the new law:

1. Hospital Visits -- Partners have rights to hospital visitation; right to make health-care decisions for and incapacitated partner.

2. Patient Information -- Partners are entitled to each others medical information.

3. Anatomical Gifts -- One partner may decide about anatomical gifts after the death of the other party, or authorize an autopsy, etc.

4. Death Rights -- Partners may decide how to dispose of their partners' remains; partners' have standing to file "wrongful death" lawsuits, etc.

5. Nursing Homes -- When one partner is in a nursing home, the other is entitled to information, privacy when visiting and the benefits detailed in the Nursing Home Residents' Bill of Rights.

6. Abuse Protection -- Partners are viewed as family under the abuse law.

7. Witness -- Partners are banned from serving as witnesses for each others durable power of attorney for health-care or terminal-care documents.