US HB3135 | 2013-2014 | 113th Congress

Status

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 90-1)
Status: Introduced on September 19 2013 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2014-01-22 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
Pending: House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Summary

Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2013 - Amends provisions of federal civil service law to extend employment-related and retirement benefits to domestic partners of federal employees and to set forth requirements for establishing and terminating a domestic partnership, including the filing of an affidavit attesting to the existence and legitimacy of the partnership. Modifies provisions relating to the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS) to extend eligibility for annuity and survivor benefits to current and former domestic partners of federal employees on the same basis as married employees. Requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to prescribe regulations to provide that domestic partners and former domestic partners shall be considered as spouses or former spouses for purposes of creditable service determinations under CSRS and FERS. Makes domestic partners of federal employees eligible for: (1) the federal employee group life insurance (FEGLI) program, (2) federal employees health benefits (FEHB), (3) dental and vision benefit plans, and (4) long-term care insurance coverage. Grants the head of an federal agency authority to reimburse an employee for taxes incurred by the domestic partner of such employee for travel, transportation, or relocation expense reimbursements. Modifies provisions of the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) to make domestic partners of federal employees eligible for worker compensation benefits under such Act. Adds "domestic partner" to the list of relatives subject to restrictions on federal employment of relatives and related prohibitions. Includes a biological, adopted, or foster child of a domestic partner as a "son or daughter" for purposes of federal employee family and medical leave provisions. Allows a federal employee family and medical leave to care for a domestic partner. Requires the President to prescribe regulations necessary to ensure that specified provisions relating to the following are administered in a manner consistent with the purposes of this Act: (1) the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993; (2) travel, transportation, and related payments and benefits under the Foreign Service Act of 1980 and for civilian employees of the Department of Defense (DOD); (3) certain benefits for members of the commissioned officer corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); and (4) benefits related to federal employees or annuitants and benefits necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to make provisions of that Act applicable to domestic partners of federal employees to the same extent as married employees, including provisions relating to financial disclosure, government-wide limitations on outside earned income and employment, gifts to superiors and to federal employees, bribery, acceptance of travel expenses from nonfederal sources, taxes on self-dealing, and disqualification of a justice, judge, or magistrate judge. Requires reporting by: (1) the President on the implementation of this Act, and (2) the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the effect of this Act on premiums or other periodic charges under FEHB and the impact of extending benefits to domestic partners on federal employee retention and recruitment efforts.

Tracking Information

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Title

Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2013

Sponsors

Rep. Mark Pocan [D-WI]Rep. Earl Blumenauer [D-OR]Rep. Suzanne Bonamici [D-OR]Rep. Robert Brady [D-PA]
Rep. Bruce Braley [D-IA]Rep. Cheri Bustos [D-IL]Rep. Lois Capps [D-CA]Rep. Tony Cardenas [D-CA]
Rep. Matthew Cartwright [D-PA]Rep. Judy Chu [D-CA]Rep. David Cicilline [D-RI]Rep. Katherine Clark [D-MA]
Rep. Steve Cohen [D-TN]Rep. Gerald Connolly [D-VA]Rep. Elijah Cummings [D-MD]Rep. Susan Davis [D-CA]
Rep. John Delaney [D-MD]Rep. Rosa DeLauro [D-CT]Rep. Suzan DelBene [D-WA]Rep. Michael Doyle [D-PA]
Rep. Donna Edwards [D-MD]Rep. Keith Ellison [D-MN]Rep. Elizabeth Esty [D-CT]Rep. Sam Farr [D-CA]
Rep. Marcia Fudge [D-OH]Rep. Joe Garcia [D-FL]Rep. Raul Grijalva [D-AZ]Rep. Luis Gutierrez [D-IL]
Rep. Janice Hahn [D-CA]Rep. Richard Hanna [R-NY]Rep. Alcee Hastings [D-FL]Rep. Denny Heck [D-WA]
Rep. Brian Higgins [D-NY]Rep. James Himes [D-CT]Rep. Michael Honda [D-CA]Rep. Jared Huffman [D-CA]
Rep. Steve Israel [D-NY]Rep. Henry Johnson [D-GA]Rep. Marcy Kaptur [D-OH]Rep. Ann Kuster [D-NH]
Rep. James Langevin [D-RI]Rep. Rick Larsen [D-WA]Rep. Barbara Lee [D-CA]Rep. John Lewis [D-GA]
Rep. David Loebsack [D-IA]Rep. Alan Lowenthal [D-CA]Rep. Nita Lowey [D-NY]Rep. Stephen Lynch [D-MA]
Rep. Carolyn Maloney [D-NY]Rep. Sean Maloney [D-NY]Rep. Doris Matsui [D-CA]Rep. Betty McCollum [D-MN]
Rep. James McGovern [D-MA]Rep. Gregory Meeks [D-NY]Rep. Michael Michaud [D-ME]Rep. George Miller [D-CA]
Rep. Gwen Moore [D-WI]Rep. James Moran [D-VA]Rep. Patrick Murphy [D-FL]Rep. Beto O'Rourke [D-TX]
Rep. Scott Peters [D-CA]Rep. Chellie Pingree [D-ME]Rep. Jared Polis [D-CO]Rep. David Price [D-NC]
Rep. Mike Quigley [D-IL]Rep. Charles Rangel [D-NY]Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard [D-CA]Rep. Bobby Rush [D-IL]
Rep. Tim Ryan [D-OH]Rep. John Sarbanes [D-MD]Rep. Janice Schakowsky [D-IL]Rep. Adam Schiff [D-CA]
Rep. Bradley Schneider [D-IL]Rep. Kurt Schrader [D-OR]Rep. Allyson Schwartz [D-PA]Rep. Jose Serrano [D-NY]
Rep. Louise Slaughter [D-NY]Rep. Adam Smith [D-WA]Rep. Jackie Speier [D-CA]Rep. Eric Swalwell [D-CA]
Rep. Mark Takano [D-CA]Rep. John Tierney [D-MA]Rep. Paul Tonko [D-NY]Rep. Niki Tsongas [D-MA]
Sen. Chris Van Hollen [D-MD]Rep. Juan Vargas [D-CA]Rep. Nydia Velazquez [D-NY]Rep. Timothy Walz [D-MN]
Rep. Henry Waxman [D-CA]Sen. Peter Welch [D-VT]Rep. Frederica Wilson [D-FL]

History

DateChamberAction
2014-01-22HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
2014-01-09HouseReferred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
2013-09-19HouseReferred to House Judiciary
2013-09-19HouseReferred to House House Administration
2013-09-19HouseReferred to House Education and the Workforce
2013-09-19HouseReferred to House Oversight and Government Reform
2013-09-19HouseReferred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, House Administration, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Same As/Similar To

SB1529 (Related) 2013-09-19 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Subjects


US Congress State Sources


Bill Comments

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