Statewide Domestic Partnership Bill On Hold

The bill's sponsor put the statewide domestic partnership registry plan on hold after lawmakers expressed concerns about its constitutionality. Largo city leaders have supported a countywide registry.

Largo city leaders have spoken in favor of a domestic partnership registry at the county level, passing a resolution back in December that voices their approval. But now, the opportunity to allow gay and straight unmarried couples some of the legal benefits of marriage at a state level has been stalled in committee. On Tuesday, Feb. 19, the Florida Senate Committee on Children, Families and Elder Affairs tabled a bill that would create a statewide domestic partnership registry. According to WFSU Media, lawmakers expressed concerns about its constitutionality. Sen. Nancy Detert (R-Venice) said she supports the idea of allowing all couples certain rights, like hospital visitation, according to the report. However, she is concerned about its …

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A Statewide Domestic Partnership Registry in Florida?

County commissioner Norm Roche said it would be easier to advocate for a statewide domestic partnership registry than have varying registries at the local level.

The governing bodies of Pinellas County, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa and Gulfport have all passed ordinances within the past year creating domestic partnership registries. Now at least one Pinellas County commissioner thinks the same should be done at the state level before any more communities follow suit.  Domestic registries grant couples, gay or straight, to have a certificate that allows them to have most of the same rights as heterosexual married couples in Florida. Those rights can include hospital visitation rights, end of life decisions, childcare decisions, and in some cases, insurance coverage. Up until Jan. 24 when Hillsborough County Commissioners surprisingly voted against creating a registry, no Tampa Bay-area …

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Domestic Partnership Registry Gets OK in Pinellas County

Unmarried couples, gay and straight, in Pinellas will be able to register as domestic partners following Tuesday's county commission vote.

Unmarried couples, gay and straight, in Pinellas County will be able to register as domestic partners following Tuesday's vote by county commissioners, the Tampa Bay Times reports. The legal recognition will give couples the right to visit each other in the emergency room, make health care decisions for each other in a crisis and, depending on their employers, share health insurance coverage, the Times reports. Commissioners voted 6-1 to approve the registry, with Norm Roche casting the dissenting vote. The Times story notes that residents of Gulfport, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, where domestic partnership registries are already in place, the planned $50 fee will be reduced. Those residents will only have to pay the difference between …

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Largo Supports Proposed Countywide Domestic Partnership Registry

The Largo City Commission passed a resolution recently, which supports the county's proposed creation of a domestic partnership registry.

The Largo City Commission passed a resolution on Dec. 18, which supports the county's proposed creation of a domestic partnership registry. The registry would give domestic partners rights reserved normally for married couples, officials said. The Pinellas County Commission is scheduled to consider implementing a countywide domestic partnership registry on Jan. 15. According to a city report, the proposed county registry would allow domestic partners and their dependents rights and decisions such as: Largo had discussed setting up its own registry, most recently in September. Clearwater, Gulfport and St. Petersburg have registries. On Dec. 11, at a city commission work session, Largo City Commissioner Michael Smith asked if the commission …

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Largo Commission Candidates Weigh in on Considering a Domestic Partnership Regsitry

Both Largo City Commission candidates for Seat 4 shared their views on the possibility of a domestic partnership registry in Largo.

Largo City Commission Candidates on Possibility of Creating a Domestic Partnership Registry

Both candidates for the Largo City Commission, Seat 4, answered questions at a breakfast candidate forum on Sept. 26.

Question: A domestic partnership registry that grants couples living together certain medical and educational decision making rights is in place in several area communities including Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Tampa. The City of Largo is now considering the merit of implementing a registry here. Do you support it or not? And why? Robert Hunsicker: Before I support, I would need a legal opinion and price tag. Domestic registry should be done at the state or county level. James Robinson: Do support it. The domestic registry is wide-ranging in my own family my mother lives with her boyfriend in Tampa. If we can do a domestic registry legally, obviously we should. Editor's Note: Candidate answers are paraphrased, if you would like the City…

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Largo May Consider a Domestic Partnership Registry Ordinance

City staff will research a proposed domestic partnership registry ordinance.

Largo city commissioners may weigh in on a domestic partner registry at an upcoming city workshop session.  At the July 10 Largo City Commission Work Session, City Commissioner Michael Smith asked if other commissioners would be interested in the idea of creating a domestic partnership registry similar to the one adopted recently in St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg's domestic partnership registry ordinance allows partners to have hospital visitation rights and notifies them in emergencies. Partners can also makes some decisions with health care, funerals and education, according to the Old Northeast-Downtown St. Pete Patch. Smith discussed how Clearwater, Gulfport and St. Petersburg all have registries. "After the last city commission …

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