BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    






                                                          AB 1059  


Date of Hearing:  May 14, 1997

               ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                     Carole Migden, Chairwoman

          AB 1059 (Migden) - As Amended:  April 21, 1997
 
Policy Committee: Insurance                     Vote:  9-4

Urgency:  No      State Mandated Local Program:  YesReimbursable:   
no                                                                  

  SUMMARY  

Specifically,  this   bill  :

1. Defines domestic partners.

2. Establishes a domestic partnership registry in the Secretary of  
   State (SOS) and requires:

    a)  SOS to prepare and distribute appropriate forms for the  
       registry to county clerks.

    b)  SOS to establish fees for the actual cost of the forms and  
       processing.

    c)  The registry forms to be notarized,binding and valid.
 
3. Establishes a waiting period following the termination of one  
   domestic partnership and a new registration.

4. Requires group health and disability insurers to offer the same  
   coverage and benefits for domestic partners as are offered for  
   dependents. 

  FISCAL EFFECT  

1. No new costs to the state because the bill provides for fees to  
   offset the costs of the registry.

2. SOS estimates costs of $253,000 for 25,000 registrations in the  
   first six months, $461,000 for 50,000 registrations during the  
   following 12 months and on-going costs of $216,000 based on a  
   fee of $10 per registrant. 

  BACKGROUND  


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                                                          AB 1059  

This bill stops discriminatory health insurance practices by  
insurers and employers by requiring the same "dependent" coverage  
offered or provided to married adults to be provided to domestic  
partners.  This bill applies to the elderly and other unmarried  
opposite sex couples and same sex couples.












































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