Sec. 19. 22 MRSA §2843-A, sub-§1, ¶D, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 609, §1, is amended to read:

D. "Next of kin" means a person having the following relationship to the subject, in the following order of priority:

(1) The spouse;

(1-A) A domestic partner.__For purposes of this section, "domestic partner" means one of 2 unmarried adults who are domiciled together under long-term arrangements that evidence a commitment to remain responsible indefinitely for each other's welfare;

(2) An adult son or daughter;

(3) A parent;

(4) An adult brother or sister;

(5) An adult grandchild;

(6) An adult niece or nephew who is the child of a brother or sister;

(7) A maternal grandparent;

(8) A paternal grandparent;

(9) An adult aunt or uncle;

(10) An adult first cousin; or

(11) Any other adult relative in descending order of blood relationship.

Sec. 20. 22 MRSA §2843-A, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 609, §1, is amended to read:

3. Estranged spouse or domestic partner. Notwithstanding subsection 2, if the surviving spouse or surviving domestic partner and the subject were estranged at the time of death, the spouse or domestic partner may not have custody and control of