BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




          Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary

                                AB26  (Midgen)

Hearing Date:9/1/99             Amended:8/16/99        
Consultant: Maureen Brooks          Policy Vote:Judiciary  
6-3                      
____________________________________________________________ 

BILL SUMMARY:   AB 26 sets forth the requirements for a  
domestic partnership and provides for their registration  
with the Secretary of State (SOS).  The bill specifies that  
the domestic partnership must be between two adults of the  
same sex who have a common residence and meet other  
criteria.

In addition, AB 26 authorizes state and local employers to  
offer health care coverage and other benefits to domestic  
partners who have submitted certificates of eligibility or  
Declarations of Domestic Partnerships to the board.


                         Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
  
Major Provisions        1999-2000             2000-01               2001-02   Fund  

Registration SOS                  $118       $29  $54General

Fee Revenue              $50        $100     $150General

Health benefits           -----unknown, subject to employer
                                              option----------------Various

STAFF COMMENTS:  SUSPENSE FILE.  AB 26 does not require  
employers to provide this coverage.  However, if elected,  
the state contribution will be significant, determined by  
the number of participants.

The Secretary of State will have to design two forms, the  
Registration of Domestic Partnership and the Termination of  
Domestic Partnership.  Initial start-up costs result from  
developing the regulations for fees and the design,  
printing and distribution of the two forms.  Ongoing costs  
include processing requests for registration.  SOS expects  
the filing fee to be approximately $10 and the revenue  
generated will exceed costs after the initial start-up.











AB 26 specifies the procedures for the termination of  
domestic partnerships and prohibits a person who has filed  
a Declaration from filing a new Declaration until at least  
6 months after the date that a Notice of Termination has  
been filed.

This bill preempts any local ordinance or law that provides  
for the creation of a domestic partnership but allows a  
local jurisdiction to retain policies that offer rights to  
domestic partners that are in addition to those established  
by state law.

A similar bill, AB 107 (Knox), is pending on this  
Committee's Suspense File.