As if yesterday’s news from California wasn’t enough to get gays everywhere excited, same-sex couples here in D.C. recently got a little something extra to celebrate. Early last week the D.C. Council expanded its domestic partners law, granting registered couples rights previously only granted through marriage.

The Council passed the measure, titled the Omnibus Domestic Partnership Equality Amendment Act of 2008, unanimously on May 6. Councilmember Phil Mendelson wrote the legislation and was its lead sponsor.

The bill includes 39 new provisions which affect various laws in D.C., in particular how domestic partners fit into a family. For instance, the Human Rights Act of 1977 was expanded to include domestic partners in the definition of a family member. Previously the act specified an individual, his or her spouse — implying a legally married couple by definition — a dependent child, and any person related to either by blood.

Other provisions include adding domestic partnerships as a marital status; granting domestic partners survivor benefits in regards to retirement, workers’ compensation and other financial matters; and granting domestic partners equal footing with married couples regarding housing law.

D.C. Councilmember Jack Evans, who co-sponsored the bill, told the Blade that the newly passed provisions combined with existing laws essentially creates civil unions. He added, “We may have a provision here and there that still needs to be changed, but this bill is a major chunk of what is needed to be completed.”

As with other bills the Council passes, this bill is subject to review by Congress. If Congress doesn’t act on the bill within 30 legislative days, it is automatically approved. D.C. has recognized domestic partnerships since 1992, but due to congressional oversight wasn’t allowed to spend local funds to implement the law until 2002.

D.C. last expanded domestic partners law in March 2007 when the Domestic Partnerships Joint Filing Act of 2006 became law.

Photo by M.V. Jantzen.