Academic

Victory for Unmarried Couples in Colorado

By Kevin Maillard

From the Denver Post:

Gov. Bill Ritter on Thursday signed into law a bill making it easier for unmarried people ? including gay couples ? to share benefits and jointly plan their estates. 

The signing, which Ritter did without fanfare and with scant public notice, drew praise from gay-rights groups and other progressive activist organizations.

"We are excited that this new, low-cost and convenient estate-planning tool will become a reality for all Coloradans," Mindy Barton of Equal Rights Colorado said in a statement. "These issues are a matter of self-determination, and we are glad that the Colorado state legislature and Gov. Ritter have recognized these essential rights."

The new law ? formerly known as House Bill 1260 ? allows two people to enter into "designated beneficiary agreements" for estate planning, property purchases, medical decisions and certain benefits such as life-insurance and retirement-plan disbursements.

Full post as published by The Faculty Lounge on April 11, 2009 (boomark / email).