Domestic registry bill gets an overhaul

Whether Salt Lake City's domestic partner registry violates state law could come down to semantics.

A Senate panel this morning voted 4-2 to approve a new version of SB299, a bill aimed at defining the terms of non-marital benefits cities and counties can provide. It excludes recognition of domestic partnerships and civil unions.

Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights, told the Senate Retirement Committee that he worked on the substitute version of SB299 into the late hours with Salt Lake City officials. And more changes may be made to the bill on the Senate floor after concerns about hospital visitation were made.

"The first and foremost purpose of this bill is to reaffirm that Utah's policy relative to marriage is unprejudical as set forth in Amendment 3 and the Defense of Marriage Act," Bell said of the state's ban on same-sex marriage and other marriage-like unions.

The bill allows the city to keep in place its plan to extend benefits to adult designees of city employees. It also allows local governments to create registries based on financial dependence or interdependence.

Salt Lake Mayor Ralph Becker questions the need to change the name of the domestic partnership registry, saying that's the standard definition for "two adults who share a common residence and are mutually inter-dependent."

He said that language in the bill that the registries can't be treated the same as marriage should be sufficient.

"That should clarify it for those who are nervous about the intent of Salt Lake City," Becker said. "If that is not enough, I ask you why."

The bill now moves to the full Senate.

---

E-MAIL: dbulkeley@desnews.c om