Text of RI HB 6950 (2006)

2006 -- H 6950 ======= LC00986 ======= STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2006 ____________ A N A C T RELATING TO WRONGFUL DEATH -- DOMESTIC PARTNERS Introduced By: Representatives Dennigan, Anguilla, Slater, Diaz, and Williams Date Introduced: January 31, 2006 Referred To: House Judiciary It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 1-1 SECTION 1. Section 10-7-1.2 of the General Laws in Chapter 10-7 entitled "Death By 1-2 Wrongful Act" is hereby amended to read as follows: 1-3 10-7-1.2. Liability for loss of consortium -- Liability for loss of society and 1-4 companionship. -- (a) Whenever the death of a married person shall be caused by the wrongful 1-5 act, neglect, or default of another person, the decedent's spouse may recover damages against the 1-6 person for loss of consortium. 1-7 (b) Whenever the death of a parent or parents of an unemancipated minor or minors shall 1-8 be caused by the wrongful act, neglect or default of another person, the minor or minors may 1-9 recover damages against the person for the loss of parental society and companionship. 1-10 (c) Whenever the death of an unemancipated minor shall be caused by the wrongful act, 1-11 neglect, or default of another person, the parent or parents of the minor may recover damages 1-12 against the person for the loss of the minor's society and companionship. 1-13 (d)(1) Whenever two (2) adults have consented to exclusively share one another's lives in 1-14 an intimate and committed relationship of mutual caring, and shall share a common residence and 1-15 living expenses, are, and remain unmarried, agree if necessary to provide and be jointly 1-16 responsible for basic and essential living expenses of each other, they shall be deemed to be 1-17 "domestic partners" for purposes of this section. 1-18 (2) Whenever the death of a domestic partner shall be caused by the wrongful act, 1-19 neglect, or default of another person, the other domestic partner as defined in subsection (d)(1) 2-1 may recover damages against the person for the loss of the partner's society and companionship. 2-2 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. ======= LC00986 ======== EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF A N A C T RELATING TO WRONGFUL DEATH -- DOMESTIC PARTNERS *** 3-1 This act would permit a domestic partner to recover damages for loss of consortium for 3-2 the wrongful death of the other domestic partner. 3-3 This act would take effect upon passage. ======= LC00986 ======= H6950