DP for everyone! Washington State’s Senators voted 29-20 yesterday to expand domestic partnership rights. The vote will now go to Governor Chris Gregoire, who will likely sign it into law.

The Legislature passed a measure Tuesday to expand the state’s domestic partnership law, granting same-sex couples more than 170 of the benefits and responsibilities given to married couples, including property and guardianship rights.

The measure adds domestic partners to sections of laws where previously only spouses were mentioned, including areas referring to probate and trusts, community property and homestead exemptions, and guardianship and powers of attorney.

The underlying domestic partnership law, passed last year, already provides hospital visitation rights, the ability to authorize autopsies and organ donations and inheritance rights when there is no will.

Ain’t love grand?!