California May Drop Sexual Orientation And Age Requirement For Domestic Partnerships

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - California may start recognizing domestic partnerships for all couples, regardless of sexual orientation or age.

The current law stipulates that domestic partnerships must be same-sex couples, or opposite sex couples- as long as both the man and woman are over age 62.

Senate Bill 30, which was introduced by Senators Ricardo Lara (D-33rd District) and Scott Wiener (D-11th District) on Monday, would remove the requirement that the couple be same sex, or opposite sex and over the age of 62.

If passed, those interested in establishing a domestic partnership would need to file a Declaration of Domestic Partnership with the Secretary of State as long as they meet certain requirements:

• Neither person is married to someone else or is a member of another domestic partnership with someone else that has not been terminated, dissolved, or adjudged a nullity.
• The two persons are not related by blood in a way that would prevent them from being married to each other in this state.
• Both persons are at least 18 years of age, except as provided in Section 297.1.
• Both persons are capable of consenting to the domestic partnership.