Are there any restrictions on the types of civil unions allowed?
In the State of Washington, civil union laws provide that couples can form a civil union with no restrictions as to their gender, sexual orientation, or marital status. This means that two people of the same gender, or two people of a different gender, can enter into a civil union. Additionally, two people who are single, divorced, or widowed can enter into a civil union as well. However, Washington’s civil union law does place certain restrictions on the types of civil unions that are allowed. Specifically, civil unions are only recognized in Washington if the couple is 18 years or older, both parties are mentally competent, and neither party is currently in another legally recognized union. Furthermore, the laws permitting civil unions state that the couple must not have a relationship that would be prohibited by the state’s law on incest. Additionally, while civil unions can provide legal rights and privileges similar to those enjoyed by married couples, civil unions are not equivalent to marriage in the eyes of the law. For example, while civil unions provide similar tax benefits to marriage, only married couples are eligible for certain federal benefits. Furthermore, civil unions are not recognized in states that don’t recognize civil unions, so couples may have difficulty establishing legal rights and privileges when they travel outside of Washington.
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