If the certified mail to the spouse or domestic partner is not delivered, the spouse cannot that person can not be found within the State and the certified mail is not delivered to any adult children, notice shall must be served personally on an adult child who can be found within the State.

If notice is served on the person's parents or closest adult relative and the certified mail is not delivered, notice shall must be served personally on a parent or the adult relative if a parent or adult relative can be found within the State.

If notice is served on the person's friend and the certified mail is not delivered, notice shall must be served personally on the friend if the friend can be found within the State.

Except as otherwise provided in this subsection and subsection (a), notice shall must be given as prescribed by court rule under section 1-401.

Sec. 15. 18-A MRSA §5-410, sub-§(a), ¶(3-A) is enacted to read:

(3-A)__The domestic partner of the protected person;

Sec. 16. 19-A MRSA §4002, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 and affected by Pt. E, §2, is amended to read:

4. Family or household members. "Family or household members" means spouses or domestic partners or former spouses or former domestic partners, individuals presently or formerly living together as spouses, natural parents of the same child, adult household members related by consanguinity or affinity or minor children of a household member when the defendant is an adult household member and, for the purposes of this chapter only, includes individuals presently or formerly living together and individuals who are or were sexual partners. Holding oneself out to be a spouse is not necessary to constitute "living as spouses." For purposes of this subsection, "domestic partners" means 2 unmarried adults who are domiciled together under long- term arrangements that evidence a commitment to remain responsible indefinitely for each other's welfare.

Sec. 17. 22 MRSA §2710 is enacted to read:

§2710.__Domestic partner registry