Wisconsin domestic partnership

I can't believe it's been since November since I've posted. I apologize to all those who used to read my posts. I hope there are still some of you out there who'll read this! Facebook definitely stole the spotlight over the past few months and most things that I wanted to talk about I posted there and failed to post on here. Here's to turning over a new leaf:

Kip and I give Milwaukee a hard time because we liked Columbus so much but there are exciting things happening in Wisconsin for our family. :)

Last Saturday the Wisconsin Assembly passed a new budget that includes domestic partnerships. Now it has to pass the State Senate(where Democrats hold an 18-15 majority) before Governor Doyle can sign it. (And he will as he's the one who put it into the budget in the first place). The Senate is expected to vote this week.

Some excerpts from the budget bill:

Declaration of policy:
The legislature finds that it is in the interests of the citizens of this state to establish and provide the parameters for a legal status of domestic partnership. The legislature further finds that the legal status of domestic partnership as established in this chapter is not substantially similar to that of marriage. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as inconsistent with or a violation of article XIII, section 13, of the Wisconsin Constitution.

If a hospital has a policy on who may accompany or visit a patient,the hospital shall extend the same right of accompaniment or visitation to a patient’s domestic partner under ch. 770 as is accorded the spouse of a patient under the policy.

“Member of the family” means spouse, domestic partner under ch. 770, child, sibling, parent or legal guardian.

I already sent an email to my representative who voted for the budget thanking him for his vote and an email to my senator encouraging him to vote for it. Now all I can do is wait for the vote and start dreaming for the day we can enter into our domestic partnership!