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Photo courtesy Salt Lake Convention & Visitors BureauNicole Gonzales reporting
A domestic partnership proposal is one step closer to being passed in Salt Lake City after a nod of approval last night from the city council. This proposal would provide legal recognition for gay couples and other unmarried unions.
This proposal would allow partners to register with the city for a fee of $25. People seeking the certificate would have to prove they are each other's sole partner.
"There will be five criteria; they need to meet three of them. For instance, they need to be on same mortgage, they need to have the same credit cards or banking accounts, or trust or will. And once they present this to the city recorder, then they will go and the recorder will give them a certificate of registration," explained Val Turner, Salt Lake City Council member.
The ordinance could be used to help employers determine a domestic status of employees seeking health care or other benefits. This would only be a voluntary tool that businesses could use to benefit their workers.
City council members say it's a logical extension of the adult designee ordinance passed two years ago. That ordinance allowed for immediate family members to be considered domestic partners. Now, same-sex couples, extended family members and long-term roommates are included.
Businesses in the area feel this ordinance would enable them to give proper benefits to all employees. "I think for businesses at large, they just need to take into consideration their employees. Their employees work hard for them and take care of their customers, so they should take care of them," said Blake Strong, owner of the Strong Audi car dealership.
There will be a public hearing on this issue on Feb. 5.
