Backers of an initiative to tax the income of Washington state’s top earners want to ensure that registered domestic partners are also taxed at the same rate as married heterosexual couples.

Initiative 1077 would institute a tax for couples making more than $400,000 per year, or individuals earning $200,000 annually, according to the Associated Press. The initiative was filed with the secretary of state’s office on Friday, by a group including the father of Microsoft’s Bill Gates.

The language of the bill was adjusted to accommodate gay and lesbian registered couples. The initial language may not have treated same-sex couples equally, subjecting one partner who earns more than $200,000.

In Washington, domestic partners have the same rights as married people. There is currently no income tax in the State of Washington, so this initiative would protect couples in domestic partnerships by setting the bar higher ($400,000 instead of $200,000) before they have to pay the tax.

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Tags: marriage equality, Washington