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City Council urges state support for SB 25 to expand domestic‑partner rights
Summary
In a unanimous action at a special meeting, the Los Angeles City Council adopted a resolution backing California Senate Bill 25, asking the governor and state officials to enact protections extending certain employment and family rights to registered domestic partners.
The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously at a special session to send a resolution of support for California Senate Bill 25 to the governor and state officials.
Councilmember Antonio Garcetti, who introduced the resolution, described the bill’s effects: it would allow registered domestic partners to qualify for certain employment and family rights now available to spouses, including filing for disability benefits to care for an incapacitated partner, sharing employer‑based health coverage in some cases, registering as domestic partners for older adults, and pursuing medical‑decision and wrongful‑death claims on behalf of a partner.
"This expands the rights of all folks regardless of age or sexual orientation," Garcetti said, reading a summary of the bill’s provisions. "The governor has indicated that this year he will sign this, and he'll make us have the strongest domestic partnership in the country, outside of Vermont."
Why it matters: SB 25 would expand state recognition of domestic‑partner relationships and grant access to selected employment and family‑law protections. The council’s resolution publicly asks the governor and state lawmakers to enact the bill and instructs city representatives to transmit the council’s support.
Council action
Councilmembers voted to adopt the resolution and to transmit the council’s position to the governor and California lawmakers. The roll call on the special meeting showed an 11‑yes vote in favor of the transmittal.
Context
Councilmember Garcetti framed SB 25 as affecting both same‑sex and opposite‑sex domestic partners, noting specifically that many domestic partners are elderly and may rely on partner recognition for benefits and decision‑making. Supporters of the bill have argued the change will close practical gaps where partners have lacked legal standing to make health and welfare decisions or to retain benefits in crises.
Next steps
The adopted resolution will be forwarded to the governor and state legislative leaders, per the council’s vote.
