AUGUSTA - Rep. Tiffany Roberts, D-South Berwick, presented LD 1804, An Act To Provide Consistency in the Laws Regarding Domestic Partners, before the Legislature's Judiciary Committee on Friday.
Currently, state laws contain more than 15 different definitions of domestic partnership. The bill will establish a standardized definition as included in the Maine Uniform Probate Code and replace the assortment of definitions presently used in state laws.
"In the last session, as House chair of the Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business, I worked on legislation that would allow for license reciprocity for members of the military, their spouses and domestic partners who are coming to Maine from other jurisdictions. During this work, we uncovered a discrepancy in our current laws," said Roberts. "This lack of consistency has created confusion and ambiguity which needs to be swiftly remedied."
The bill was supported by numerous advocacy groups, including GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, MaineTransNet, Equality Maine, Maine Womens Lobby and ACLU of Maine.
The Legislature's Judiciary Committee will hold a work session on the bill in the coming weeks.
Roberts is serving her second term in the Maine House of Representatives and serves as House chair of the Legislature's Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee.
Contact:
Jackie Merrill [Roberts], c. 812-1111