BILL ANALYSIS AB 2216 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 8, 2002 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Darrell Steinberg, Chair AB 2216 (Keeley) - As Amended: April 25, 2002 Policy Committee: JudiciaryVote:8-3 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: SUMMARY This bill: 1)Expands the legal rights of a registered domestic partner, effective July 2003, to include the right to inherit property without a will if one partner dies. 2)Requires the Secretary of State to inform registered domestic partners and domestic partner applicants of this change by March 2003. FISCAL EFFECT Minor General Fund costs of about $10,000 for Secretary of State notifications. COMMENTS 1)Rationale . The author contends that the majority of Californians, regardless of familial status, have not left a will, trust or other estate plan. Without the right to inherit property from a partner who dies intestate, surviving domestic partners may experience economic hardship, including eviction from homes they shared with the deceased." 2)Prior Legislation . Chapter 588, Statutes of 999 (AB 26, Migden) established the state domestic partnership registry. Chapter 893, Statutes of 2001 (AB 25, Midgen) established several new legal rights for registered domestic partners. A provision, similar to AB 2216, regarding inheritance of property, was included in earlier versions of AB 25 in 2001, AB 2216 Page 2 but the provision was deleted as a result of negotiations between interested parties. AB 2047 (Steinberg) of 2000 also contained a inheritance provisions, but that bill was subsequently amended to be authored by then-Assemblywoman Romero and also to contain other provisions relating to domestic partnerships. That bill was held in this committee. Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081