BILL NUMBER: AB 26	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER   588
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   OCTOBER 10, 1999
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR   OCTOBER 2, 1999
	PASSED THE SENATE   SEPTEMBER 9, 1999
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY   SEPTEMBER 9, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   SEPTEMBER 7, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   SEPTEMBER 3, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   AUGUST 16, 1999
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   APRIL 8, 1999

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Members Migden, Kuehl, and Villaraigosa
   (Principal coauthor:  Assembly Member Knox)
   (Coauthors:  Assembly Members Alquist, Aroner, Calderon,
Firebaugh, Keeley, Lempert, Longville, Mazzoni, Romero, and
Steinberg)
   (Coauthors:  Senators Bowen, Johnston, Murray, Solis, Speier, and
Vasconcellos)

                        DECEMBER 7, 1998

   An act to add Division 2.5 (commencing with Section 297) to the
Family Code, to add Article 9 (commencing with Section 22867) to
Chapter 1 of Part 5 of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code,
and to add Section 1261 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to
domestic partners.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 26, Migden.  Domestic partners.
   (1) Existing law sets forth the requirements of a valid marriage,
and specifies the rights and obligations of spouses during marriage.

   This bill would provide that a domestic partnership shall be
established between 2 adults of the same sex or, if both persons are
over the age of 62 and meet specified eligibility criteria, opposite
sexes, who have a common residence and meet other specified criteria
and would provide for the registration of domestic partnerships with
the Secretary of State.  The bill would also specify procedures for
the termination of domestic partnerships.  The bill would prohibit a
person who has filed a Declaration of Domestic Partnership from
filing a new declaration until at least 6 months has elapsed from the
date that a Notice of Termination of Domestic Partnership was filed
with the Secretary of State in connection with the termination of the
most recent domestic partnership, except where the previous domestic
partnership ended because one of the partners died or married.
   The bill would require the Secretary of State to prepare forms for
the registration and termination of domestic partnerships,
distribute these forms to each county clerk, and require the
Secretary of State to establish, by regulation, and charge fees for
processing these forms.  The bill would require these forms to be
available to the public at the office of the Secretary of State and
each county clerk.  A Declaration of Domestic Partnership would be
required to be accompanied by a specified declaration of veracity.
Violation of this requirement would be a misdemeanor.  By creating a
new crime and by increasing the duties of the county clerk, the bill
would impose a state-mandated local program.
   The bill would also preempt, on and after July 1, 2000, any local
ordinance or law that provides for the creation of a domestic
partnership, as specified, except that a local jurisdiction may
retain or adopt policies or laws that offer rights to domestic
partners within the jurisdiction and impose duties that are in
addition to the rights and duties established by state law, as
specified.
   (2) Existing law does not specify requirements concerning patient
visitation in all health facilities.
   This bill would require a health facility to allow a patient's
domestic partner and other specified persons to visit a patient,
except under specified conditions.
   (3) The existing Public Employees' Medical and Hospital Care Act
authorizes the Board of Administration of the Public Employees'
Retirement System to provide health benefits plan coverage to state
and local public employees and annuitants and their family members.
   This bill would authorize the state and local employers to offer
health care coverage and other benefits to domestic partners, as
defined, who have submitted certificates of eligibility or
Declarations of Domestic Partnership to the board.
  (4) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state.  Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement, including the creation of a State Mandates Claims Fund
to pay the costs of mandates that do not exceed $1,000,000 statewide
and other procedures for claims whose statewide costs exceed
$1,000,000.
   This bill would provide that, with regard to certain mandates, no
reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
   With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that,
if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains
costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall
be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  It is the intent of the Legislature to retain the right
of hospitals and other health care facilities to establish
visitation policies in reasonable and appropriate circumstances.  In
enacting this legislation, it is the intent of the Legislature to
provide hospitals and other health facilities with the authority to
administer those policies in a manner that applies equally to
spouses, registered domestic partners, and other immediate family
members.
  SEC. 2.  Division 2.5 (commencing with Section 297) is added to the
Family Code, to read:

      DIVISION 2.5.  DOMESTIC PARTNER REGISTRATION
      PART 1.  DEFINITIONS

   297.  (a) Domestic partners are two adults who have chosen to
share one another's lives in an intimate and committed relationship
of mutual caring.
   (b) A domestic partnership shall be established in California when
all of the following requirements are met:
   (1) Both persons have a common residence.
   (2) Both persons agree to be jointly responsible for each other's
basic living expenses incurred during the domestic partnership.
   (3) Neither person is married or a member of another domestic
partnership.
   (4) The two persons are not related by blood in a way that would
prevent them from being married to each other in this state.
   (5) Both persons are at least 18 years of age.
   (6) Either of the following:
   (A) Both persons are members of the same sex.
   (B) Both persons meet the eligibility criteria under Title II of
the Social Security Act as defined in 42 U.S.C. Section 402(a) for
old-age insurance benefits or Title XVI of the Social Security Act as
defined in 42 U.S.C. Section 1381 for aged individuals.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, persons of
opposite sexes may not constitute a domestic partnership unless both
persons are over the age of 62.
   (7) Both persons are capable of consenting to the domestic
partnership.
   (8) Neither person has previously filed a Declaration of Domestic
Partnership with the Secretary of State pursuant to this division
that has not been terminated under Section 299.
   (9) Both file a Declaration of Domestic Partnership with the
Secretary of State pursuant to this division.
   (c) "Have a common residence" means that both domestic partners
share the same residence.  It is not necessary that the legal right
to possess the common residence be in both of their names.  Two
people have a common residence even if one or both have additional
residences.  Domestic partners do not cease to  have a common
residence if one leaves the common residence but intends to return.
   (d) "Basic living expenses" means, shelter, utilities, and all
other costs directly related to the maintenance of the common
household of the common residence of the domestic partners.  It also
means any other cost, such as medical care, if some or all of the
cost is paid as a benefit because a person is another person's
domestic partner.
   (e) "Joint responsibility" means that each partner agrees to
provide for the other partner's basic living expenses if the partner
is unable to provide for herself or himself.  Persons to whom these
expenses are owed may enforce this responsibility if, in extending
credit or providing goods or services, they relied on the existence
of the domestic partnership and the agreement of both partners to be
jointly responsible for those specific expenses.

      PART 2.  REGISTRATION

   298.  (a) The Secretary of State shall prepare forms entitled
"Declaration of Domestic Partnership" and "Notice of Termination of
Domestic Partnership" to meet the requirements of this division.
These forms shall require the signature and seal of an acknowledgment
by a notary public to be binding and valid.
   (b) (1) The Secretary of State shall distribute these forms to
each county clerk.  These forms shall be available to the public at
the office of the Secretary of State and each county clerk.
   (2) The Secretary of State shall, by regulation, establish fees
for the actual costs of processing each of these forms, and shall
charge these fees to persons filing the forms.
   (c) The Declaration of Domestic Partnership shall require each
person who wants to become a domestic partner to (1) state that he or
she meets the requirements of Section 297 at the time the form is
signed, (2) provide a mailing address, (3) sign the form with a
declaration that representations made therein are true, correct, and
contain no material omissions of fact to the best knowledge and
belief of the applicant, and (4) have a notary public acknowledge his
or her signature.  Both partners' signatures shall be affixed to one
Declaration of Domestic Partnership form, which form shall then be
transmitted to the Secretary of State according to the instructions
provided on the form.  Violations of this subdivision are punishable
as a misdemeanor.
   298.5.  (a) Two persons desiring to become domestic partners may
complete and file a Declaration of Domestic Partnership with the
Secretary of State.
   (b) The Secretary of State shall register the Declaration of
Domestic Partnership in a registry for those partnerships, and shall
return a copy of the registered form to the domestic partners at the
address provided by the domestic partners as their common residence.

   (c) No person who has filed a Declaration of Domestic Partnership
may file a new Declaration of Domestic Partnership until at least six
months after the date that a Notice of Termination of Domestic
Partnership was filed with the Secretary of State pursuant to
subdivision (b) of Section 299 in connection with the termination of
the most recent domestic partnership.  This prohibition does not
apply if the previous domestic partnership ended because one of the
partners died or married.

      PART 3.  TERMINATION

   299.  (a) A domestic partnership is terminated when any one of the
following occurs:
   (1) One partner gives or sends to the other partner a written
notice by certified mail that he or she is terminating the
partnership.
   (2) One of the domestic partners dies.
   (3) One of the domestic partners marries.
   (4) The domestic partners no longer have a common residence.
   (b) Upon termination of a domestic partnership, at least one
former partner shall file a Notice of Termination of Domestic
Partnership with the Secretary of State by mailing a completed form
to the Secretary of State by certified mail.  The date on which the
Notice of Termination of Domestic Partnership is received by the
Secretary of State shall be deemed the actual termination date of the
domestic partnership, unless termination is caused by the death or
marriage of a domestic partner, in which case the actual termination
date shall be the date indicated on the Notice of Termination of
Domestic Partnership form.  The partner who files the Notice of
Termination of Domestic Partnership shall send a copy of the notice
to the last known address of the other partner.
   (c) A former domestic partner who has given a copy of a
Declaration of Domestic Partnership to any third party in order to
qualify for any benefit or right shall, within 60 days of termination
of the domestic partnership, give or send to the third party, at the
last known address of the third party, written notification that the
domestic partnership has been terminated.  A third party who suffers
a loss as a result of failure by the domestic partner to send this
notice shall be entitled to seek recovery from the partner who was
obligated to send it for any actual loss resulting thereby.
   (d) Failure to provide the third-party notice required in
subdivision (c) shall not delay or prevent the termination of the
domestic partnership.

      PART 4.  LEGAL EFFECT

   299.5.  (a) The obligations that two people have to each other as
a result of creating a domestic partnership are those described in
Section 297.  Registration as a domestic partner under this division
shall not be evidence of, or establish, any rights existing under law
other than those expressly provided to domestic partners in this
division and Section 1261 of the Health and Safety Code.
   The provisions relating to domestic partners provided in this
division and Section 1261 of the Health and Safety Code shall not
diminish any right under any other provision of law.
   (b) Upon the termination of a domestic partnership, the partners,
from that time forward, shall incur none of the obligations to each
other as domestic partners that are created by this division and
Section 1261 of the Health and Safety Code.
   (c) The filing of a Declaration of Domestic Partnership pursuant
to this division shall not change the character of property, real or
personal, or any interest in any real or personal property owned by
either domestic partner or both of them prior to the date of filing
of the declaration.
   (d) The filing of a Declaration of Domestic Partnership pursuant
to this division shall not, in and of itself, create any interest in,
or rights to, any property, real or personal, owned by one partner
in the other partner, including, but not limited to, rights similar
to community property or quasi-community property.
   (e) Any property or interest acquired by the partners during the
domestic partnership where title is shared shall be held by the
partners in proportion of interest assigned to each partner at the
time the property or interest was acquired unless otherwise expressly
agreed in writing by both parties.  Upon termination of the domestic
partnership, this subdivision shall govern the division of any
property jointly acquired by the partners.
   (f) The formation of a domestic partnership under this division
shall not change the individual income or estate tax liability of
each domestic partner prior to and during the partnership, unless
otherwise provided under another state or federal law or regulation.


      PART 5.  PREEMPTION

   299.6.  (a) Any local ordinance or law that provides for the
creation of a "domestic partnership" shall be preempted on and after
July 1, 2000, except as provided in subdivision (c).
   (b) Domestic partnerships created under any local domestic
partnership ordinance or law before July 1, 2000, shall remain valid.
  On and after July 1, 2000, domestic partnerships previously
established under a local ordinance or law shall be governed by this
division and the rights and duties of the partners shall be those set
out in this division, except as provided in subdivision (c),
provided a Declaration of Domestic Partnership is filed by the
domestic partners under Section 298.5.
   (c) Any local jurisdiction may retain or adopt ordinances,
policies, or laws that offer rights within that jurisdiction to
domestic partners as defined by Section 297 or as more broadly
defined by the local jurisdiction's ordinances, policies, or laws, or
that impose duties upon third parties regarding domestic partners as
defined by Section 297 or as more broadly defined by the local
jurisdiction's ordinances, policies, or laws, that are in addition to
the rights and duties set out in this division, and the local rights
may be conditioned upon the agreement of the domestic partners to
assume the additional obligations set forth in this division.
  SEC. 3.  Article 9 (commencing with Section 22867) is added to
Chapter 1 of Part 5 of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code,
to read:

      Article 9.  Domestic Partners

   22867.  It is the purpose of this article to provide employers the
ability to offer health care coverage through this part to the
domestic partners of their employees and annuitants.
   22868.  For this part only, and only for the purposes of providing
health care coverage pursuant to this part, a domestic partner is an
adult in a domestic partnership, as defined in Section 22869, with a
person enrolled as an employee or annuitant of an employer
contracting with the board for health benefits coverage, who has
submitted to the system a certificate of eligibility pursuant to
Section 22872 or a valid Declaration of Domestic Partnership filed
pursuant to Division 2.5 (commencing with Section 297) of the Family
Code.
   22869.  For purposes of this part, a "domestic partnership" shall
be two people who meet all of the criteria set forth in Section 297
of the Family Code.
   22871.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a domestic
partner shall be included in the definition of a family member for
purposes of Sections 22777, 22778, subdivision (a) of Section 22791,
Sections 22811, 22811.5, 22812, 22813, 22815, subdivision (c) of
Section 22816, Sections 22816.3, 22817, 22819, 22823, subdivision (a)
of Section 22825, subdivision (a) of Section 22825.1, Section
22825.7, paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 22840.2,
subdivision (f) of Section 22840.2, subdivision (b) of Section 22856,
and Section 22859.
   22871.1.  Notwithstanding Section 22871 or any other provision of
law, a domestic partner shall not be included in the definition of a
family member for purposes of subdivisions (e) and (f) of Section
22754, subdivision (a) of Section 22811.6, and Section 22821.
   22871.2.  Notwithstanding subdivision (f) of Section 22754 or any
other provision of law, a domestic partner shall be considered to be
a family member for purposes of Section 22810, except that a domestic
partner shall not be considered a family member for purposes of
continued health coverage eligibility upon the death of the employee
or annuitant.
   22871.3.  If an employee or annuitant has a domestic partner who
is an employee or annuitant, each domestic partner may enroll as an
individual.  No person may be enrolled both as an employee or
annuitant and as a family member.  A family member may be enrolled
with respect to only one employee or annuitant.
   22872.  (a) In order to receive any benefit provided by this
article, an employee or annuitant shall present the board with proof
in a manner designated by the board that the employee or annuitant
and his or her domestic partner have filed a valid Declaration of
Domestic Partnership pursuant to Division 2.5 (commencing with
Section 297) of the Family Code.
   (b) The employee or annuitant shall also provide a signed
statement indicating that the employee or annuitant agrees that he or
she may be required to reimburse the employer, their designated
health services plan, and the system, for any expenditures made by
the employer, their designated health services plan, and the system,
for medical claims, processing fees, administrative charges, costs,
and attorney's fees on behalf of the domestic partner if any of the
submitted documentation is found to be incomplete, inaccurate, or
fraudulent.
   (c) The employee or annuitant shall notify the employer or CalPERS
when a domestic partnership has terminated, as required by
subdivision (c) of Section 299 of the Family Code.
   22873.  (a) Any employer or contracting agency may, at its option,
offer health benefits pursuant to this article, to the domestic
partners of its employees and annuitants.
   (b) The employer or contracting agency shall notify the board, in
a manner prescribed by the board, that it is electing to provide
health care coverage through this article to the domestic partners of
its employees and annuitants.
   (c) The employer or contracting agency shall provide to the system
any information deemed necessary by the board to determine
eligibility under this article.
   22874.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, this article
shall not be construed to extend any vested rights to any person nor
be construed to limit the right of the Legislature to subsequently
modify or repeal any provision of this article.
   22875.  This article shall apply to any of the following:
   (a) Represented state employees who are members of a bargaining
unit or who retired from a bargaining unit only if (1) there is a
signed memorandum of understanding between the state and the
recognized employee organization to adopt the benefits accorded under
this article and (2) the Department of Personnel Administration
makes this article simultaneously applicable to all eligible
annuitants retired from the bargaining unit.  This article shall not
apply to active state employees who are members of a state bargaining
unit unless it also applies to eligible annuitants retired from that
bargaining unit.
   (b) Members of the Public Employees' Retirement System who are
employed by the Assembly, the Senate, and the California State
University only if the Assembly Rules Committee, the Senate Rules
Committee, and the Board of Trustees of the California State
University, respectively, make this section applicable to their
employees.
   (c) Members of the Public Employees' Retirement System who are
state employees of the judicial branch, and judges and justices who
are members of the Judges' Retirement System or the Judges'
Retirement System II, if the Judicial Council makes this section
applicable to them.
   (d) Employees excluded from the Ralph C. Dills Act (Chapter 10.3
(commencing with Section 3512) of Division 4 of Title 1) upon
adoption by the Department of Personnel Administration of regulations
to implement employee benefits under this article for those state
officers and employees excluded from, or not otherwise subject to the
Ralph C. Dills Act.  Regulations adopted or amended pursuant to this
section shall not be subject to review and approval of the Office of
Administrative Law pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act
(Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3
of Title 2).  These regulations shall become effective immediately
upon filing with the Secretary of State.
   22876.  The board may establish a one-time special enrollment
period to permit currently enrolled employees and annuitants whose
domestic partners will be eligible for family member status pursuant
to this article to enroll those domestic partners.
   22877.  An employer may require an employee or annuitant or his or
her domestic partner to be financially responsible for any increased
cost of covering the domestic partner that exceeds the normal
employer contribution rate resulting from the decision of that
employer to offer health coverage to domestic partners of employees
and annuitants pursuant to this article.
  SEC. 4.  Section 1261 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to
read:
   1261.  (a) A health facility shall allow a patient's domestic
partner, the children of the patient's domestic partner, and the
domestic partner of the patient's parent or child to visit, unless
one of the following is met:
   (1) No visitors are allowed.
   (2) The facility reasonably determines that the presence of a
particular visitor would endanger the health or safety of a patient,
member of the health facility staff, or other visitor to the health
facility, or would significantly disrupt the operations of a
facility.
   (3) The patient has indicated to health facility staff that the
patient does not want this person to visit.
   (b) This section may not be construed to prohibit a health
facility from otherwise establishing reasonable restrictions upon
visitation, including restrictions upon the hours of visitation and
number of visitors.
   (c) For purposes of this section, "domestic partner" has the same
meaning as that term is used in Section 297 of the Family Code.
  SEC. 5.  No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution for certain
costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district
because in that regard this act creates a new crime or infraction,
eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime
or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government
Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of
Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.
   However, notwithstanding Section 17610 of the Government Code, if
the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains
other costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies
and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7
(commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the
Government Code.  If the statewide cost of the claim for
reimbursement does not exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000),
reimbursement shall be made from the State Mandates Claims Fund.