POLICY ADVOCACY
What We Do
At Rewrite the BiLine, we believe that local, state, and national policies must reflect the realities of how people live and love. For too long, laws and public benefits have centered on the nuclear family model. Our policy work aims to shift that. We provide research-driven guidance to city councils, commissions, and legislators seeking to update laws and policies to be more inclusive of diverse family and relationship structures.
Why It Matters
Non-nuclear families are everywhere—among LGBTQ+ communities, immigrant households, multi-generational homes, and beyond. Yet many of these families remain invisible or unprotected under current laws. Without laws protecting diverse family and relationship structures, people can be denied housing, employment protections, visitation rights, leave to care for a partner, healthcare access, and parental recognition.
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Approximately, half of all bi+ people are in multi-partner families, and bi+ people face a double-digit wage gap compared to their straight counterparts. To ensure our economic and political systems work for all, we are mobilizing bi+ people and non-nuclear families to influence lasting change in the political and economic systems that impact their lives.
West Hollywood (CA) Campaign
In March 2025, Rewrite the BiLine began working with the City of West Hollywood to advance protections and rights for non-nuclear families. After a year of advocacy and local organizing, in March 2026, the City of West Hollywood unanimously voted to update its nondiscrimination ordinance, becoming the first city in Southern California and the 7th municipality in the nation to pass these protections.
On November 2, 2026, West Hollywood also became the first city in the nation to pass a dedicated multi-partner domestic relationship registry for polyamorous families, building on work in Massachusetts.
West Hollywood FAQ
How Does the Non-discrimination Law Work in West Hollywood?
Starting on April 15, 2026, it will be unlawful to discriminate against someone because of their actual or perceived family or relationship structure in West Hollywood, California. The protections apply across key areas of daily life, including:
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Housing — covering real estate transactions, rentals, financing, advertising, maintenance, repairs, and related terms or communications.
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Business establishments — ensuring equal access to goods, services, facilities, privileges, and accommodations.
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City facilities and services — protecting fair access to municipal programs and spaces.
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City-supported services — applying the same protections to services or facilities funded or supported by the City.
What's Next for the Multi-Partner Domestic Relationship Registry?
At its October 19, 2026 Council Meeting, the City of West Hollywood unanimously voted to establish a multi-partner domestic relationship registry process. It passed on its second reading unanimously on November 2, 2026.
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Rewrite the BiLine is now working with the City on an additional corresponding ordinance to ensure that this registry will be available to all polyamorous people in concurrent relationships of two or more.
Where Can I Find the Legislative History?
November 2, 2026 - the City conducted its final reading of the multi-partner relationship registry. It passed unanimously with a commitment to ensure its final language supports concurrent relationships of two or more.
October 19, 2026 - the City conducted its first reading of the multi-partner relationship registration process. It passed unanimously, after being moved to the consent calendar.
March 2, 2026 - the City unanimously voted to 1) pass a non-discrimination ordinance to protect "diverse family and relationship structures," (second reading was March 16) and 2) develop and present a plan for recognizing plural domestic partnerships in 6 months.
June 23, 2025 - the City voted to direct the City Attorney to evaluate amending the City’s Domestic Partnership ordinance to allow people in diverse family relationships, including triads and polyamorous relationships, to register as domestic partners.
May 19, 2025 - the City unanimously voted to evaluate updates to the West Hollywood Municipal Code Chapter 9.28—the City’s Nondiscrimination Ordinance—to include protections against discrimination based on diverse family and relationship structures.
What Is the Fiscal Impact of the Laws?
The City of West Hollywood found that there would be no fiscal impact to expanding the non-discrimination ordinance to protest diverse family and relationship structures.
Additionally, results from a public records request filed by Rewrite the BiLine show that when Massachusetts municipalities expanded their domestic partnership ordinances to include partnerships of three or more people, the changes had no fiscal impact.
