STATE OF CALIFORNIA
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If you are in a committed lesbian or gay relationship in California, you can protect yourself and your partner by registering as domestic partners. If you are in a committed opposite-sex relationship where one partner is 62 years or older, you have the opportunity to register as domestic partners. While registration isn’t the same as marriage, it does secure many important rights and responsibilities. Under current law, registration can protect your rights in times of family crisis, protect your children, and give you access to family benefits at work. Eligibility:
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We have a California Notary that can notarize your Domestic Partnership Agreement (and, yes we will supply the official agreement for you!) |
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Once you have your notarized Declaration of Domestic Partnership, mail it along with the $10 filing fee to: California Secretary of State 1500 11th Street Sacramento, California 95814 OR take the notarized declaration in person to any Secretary of State's offices in the State of California. |
When the California registration first became law on January 1, 2000, it offered very limited benefits. It was expanded, on January 1, 2002, to include about a dozen benefits. It was again expanded on January 1, 2003 to include scores of benefits and responsibilities. The second expansion of the bill (AB-205) was filed by Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles). A third expansion (SB-1827) ocured on September 30, 2006, which allowed registered domestic partners to jointly file state income taxes and have their earned income treated as community property for state tax purposes. Under the expanded law, same-sex couples have many of the same state rights and responsibilities as legally married couples, including community property rights and obligations, child custody rights, the right to child support and alimony, extended family leave benefits and mutual responsibility for debts. Please visit the official California Domestic Partners Resistry or the ACLU for more information. |
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