The ACLU identified two basic sorts of registration systems — the kind that simply records the relationship and the kind that not only records the relationship but gives benefits, such as hospital visitations, access to facilities or health coverage, among others.

There is also some debate about whether cities have the authority to create such registries.

"Some cities and counties can set up registration systems, others may not be able to do it," the ACLU report noted. "Cities and counties get their power from the states and sometimes their powers are limited."

Still, the ACLU noted only one city-level domestic partnership law has ever been successfully defeated in court.

Utah attorney general spokesman Paul Murphy said it will be up to the Salt Lake City Attorney's Office to determine if state law allows the city to set up a registry.

"They're the ones who are going to have to determine if it complies with other state laws," he said.

City Attorney Ed Rutan said he is preparing a legal opinion on the matter.

"That's something I'm looking into at this point, so I don't comment on anything when I'm preparing legal advice," he said.

Anderson's spokeswoman Deeda Seed said the mayor's office had considered creating the registry last year but the gay community asked the mayor to back off the plan. Last year, gay advocates were pushing for the defeat of Amendment 3, which amended the Utah State Constitution to ban gay marriage.

Advocates then feared Anderson's creation of a domestic partnership registry would have created a backlash, leading people to vote in favor of the amendment, which passed anyway.

A year later, Equality Utah Executive Director Mike Thompson said the gay community would welcome the registry.

"The community would be pleased for any recognition of same sex relationships," he said. "Anything that would acknowledge our relationships and our families."

---

E-mail: bsnyder@desnews.com