Our
view
New
bill misleads partners
California joins only Hawaii and Vermont
in recognizing domestic partners’ inheritance
rights with Gov. Gray Davis’ signing of
a new bill on Sept. 10.
The Keeley Inheritance Rights Bill, which
will become effective July 1, 2003, allows
registered domestic partners to inherit
a partner’s property in the case that he
or she dies without a will.
The bill does not change the current status
of same-sex benefits or marriage rights.
This controversial bill is hailed by many
gay and lesbian rights groups as a step
toward increased civil rights.
However, some people distrust and are unsatisfied
by its vague language and question Davis’
motives, believing them to be selfish.
Indeed, a closer examination of the bill
does reveal some interesting and disturbing
characteristics.
With the elections quickly approaching,
the Keeley Inheritance Rights Bill appears
at a perfect time to win the votes of gay
and lesbian rights activists for Davis.
On its face, the bill appears to be in clear
support of gay and lesbian rights. However,
in actuality, it will not grant as much
as it proclaims.
Domestic partners who do not register with
the secretary of state will not receive
any inheritance rights without a will.
Furthermore, because of the vagueness of
the bill, the matter of power of attorney
or executor of will is still unclear, even
if partners are registered with the secretary
of state. Conveniently for Davis, the bill
does not discuss these issues.
According to Monday’s On-line Forty-Niner
article, “Domestic Partners to be Recognized,”
participants in the Long Beach Gay and Lesbian
Community Service Center see the entire
bill as vague and confusing.
In the same article, Pat Crosby, the director
of the Long Beach Gay and Lesbian Community
Service Center, said she believes that Gov.
Davis has not been supportive of the gay
and lesbian community in the past.
Unfortunately, this bill must be reviewed
with cynicism.
The bill is the perfect measure for Davis
to give gay and lesbian rights groups the
illusion of being granted increased rights.
Of course, this illusion leads to Davis’
procuring of their votes without actually
giving them much of anything and hence without
really inciting a great deal of animosity
and losing votes from any group against
gay rights.
|
