An Act To Expand Rights for Maine Families
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1118
Committee: JUdiciary
Sponsors: POSSEL, BICKFORD, CHASE, GILES, JOHNSON, LANGLEY, STRANG BURGESS

MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE 
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124th MAINE LEGISLATU 
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Legislative Document 
No. 1118 
H.P.773 
House of Representatives, March 20,2009 
An Act To Expand Rights for Maine Families 
Reference to the Committee on JUdiciary suggested and ordered printed . 
Presented by Representative POSSEL of Alna. 
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MILLICENT M. MacP ARiAND 
Clerk 
Cosponsored by Representatives: BICKFORD of Auburn, CHASE of We Us, GILES of Belfast, 
JOHNSON of Greenville, LANGLEY of Ellsworth, STRANG BURGESS of Cumberland .. 
Printed lin n!~yclt:d paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA c. 712 is enacted to read: . 
CHAPTER 712 
REGISTERED DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS 
§3041. Definition 
As used in .this chapter, "registered domestic partners" means domestic partners who 
are registered in accordance with section 2710. 
§3042. Rights and obligations 
1. Rights; responsibilities .. Registered domestic partners have the same rights, 
protections and benefits and are subject to the Same responsibilities, obligations and 
duties under law, whether they derive from statute, administrative rule, court rule, 
government policy, common law or any other provision or source of law, as are granted 
to and imposed upon spouses. 
2. Former registered domestic partners. Former registered domestic partners have 
the same rights, protections and ·benefits and are subject to the same· responsibilities, 
obligations and duties under law, whether they derive from. statute, administrative rule, 
court rule, government policy, common law or any other provision orsource onaw, as 
are granted to and imposed upon former spouses. 
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3. Surviving regIstered domestic partner. A surviving registered domestic partner, 
foUowing the death of the other partner, has the same rights, wcitections and benefits and 
is subject to the same responsibilities, obligations and duties under law, whether they 
derive from· statute, administrative rule, court rule, government policy" common law or 
any other provision or source of law, as are granted to and imposed upon a surviving 
spouse. 
4. Children. The rights and obligations of registered· domestic partners with respect 
to a child of either of them are the same as those of spouses. The rights and obligations 
of former. or surviving registered domestic partners with respect to a child of either of 
them are the same as those of former or surviving spouses. 
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5. Federal law. To the extent that provisions of the laws of this State adopt, refer to 
or rely upon provisions of federal law in a way that otherwise would cause registered 
domestic partners to be treated differently than spouses, registered domestic partners must 
be treated by the laws of this State as if federal law recognized a domestic partnership in 
the same manner as the laws of this State. 
6. Nondiscrimination. Registered domestic partners have the same rights regarding 
nondiscrimination as those provided to spouses. A public agency in this State may not 
discriminate against any person or couple on the ground that the person is a registered 
domestic partner rather than a spouse or that they are registered domestic partners rather 
than spouses. . Where necessary to implement the rights of domestic partners under this 
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chapter, gender-specific terms referring to spouses must be construed to include domestic 
partners. 
7. No effect on other recognitions of relationships. This chapter is not intended to 
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repeal or adversely affect any other ways in which relationships between adults may be 
recognized or given effect in this State or the legal consequences of those relationships, 
including, but not limited to, marriage, enforcement of, powers of attorney and 
appointment of conservators or guardians. 
Sec. 2. Maine Revised Statutes headnote amended; revision clause. In the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, Part 6, in the Part headnote, the words "births, 
marriages and deaths" are. amended to read "births, marriages, registered domestic 
partnerships and deaths" and ~he Revisor of Statutes shall implement this revision when. 
updating, publishing or republishing the statutes. 
Sec. 3. Effective date. TIns Act takes effect January 1,2010. 
SUMMARY 
TIns bill provides that registered domestic partners have the same rights, protections 
and benefits and are subject to the same responsibilities, obligations and duties under law, 
whether they derive from statute, administrative ,rule, court rule, govenunent policy, 
. common law or any other provision or source of law, as are granted to and imposed upon 
spouses. 
The delayed effective date of January 1, 2010 is included to provide time for 
preparations for the change in the law.