(a) A party to a civil union shall be included in any definition or use of the terms “dependent”, “family”, “husband and wife”, “immediate family”, “next of kin”, “spouse”, “stepparent”, “tenants by the entirety”, and other terms, whether or not gender-specific, that denote a spousal relationship or a person in a spousal relationship, as those terms are used throughout the Code, administrative rules or regulations, court rules, governmental policies, common law, court decisions, or any other provisions or sources of the laws of this State, including in equity.
(b) To the extent that another provision of this Code (other than Chapter 1 of this title) or other laws of this State (including, without limitation, administrative rules or regulations, court rules, governmental policies, common law, court decisions, or any other provisions or sources of law, including in equity) utilizes a term used in Chapter 1 of this title relating to marriage, references a section of Chapter 1 of this title, or references marital status, except to the extent otherwise set forth in this chapter, such term, section or other reference shall be deemed to also utilize, include or reference the applicable corresponding term, section or other reference relating to civil unions or civil union status as established in this chapter.