Oregon Public Broadcasting

A bill that passed the Oregon House Monday would tweak some rules regarding the state’s domestic partnership law.

The measure would streamline the process for gay couples to change their names when they register as domestic partners.

The new process would be identical to the one used by married couples.  But Thomas Wheatley of Basic Rights Oregon says that only applies to state documents.

He says for Federal documents like passports and social security cards, gay couples will still have a hassle on their hands.

Thomas Wheatley: “They have to go to court to get their name changed, they have to stand in line, they have to pay all these legal fees and so forth.”

The bill would also smooth out some problems that same-sex couples experienced when they moved to Oregon from states that also allow same-sex partnerships.  

Currently those couples have to dissolve their out-of-state domestic partnership or civil union before they can become domestic partners in Oregon.  The new bill would change that.  

It passed the Oregon House 51-to-8 and now moves to the Senate.

Online:

Oregon House Bill 2839