Salt Lake City To Get DP Registry

Salt Lake City's new mayor's first action is to enact a domestic partners registry.

Salt Lake Mayor Ralph Becker is wasting no time making good on a campaign promise. In his first official action as mayor he has proposed a domestic partner registry for same-sex couples and for opposite-sex couples who cannot or chose not to marry.

The measure will be voted on by city council on January 22. Despite being the home to the Mormon Church and in one of the nation's most conservative states, Salt Lake tends to lean left and a majority on city council say they will support the plan.

A number of councilors worked on the wording of the ordinance with Becker to make sure it complies with Utah's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Much of the bill's language was taken from the 2006 ordinance extending insurance benefits to adult designees of city workers. That measure already has passed judicial scrutiny.

A spokesperson for the mayor also says that the bill conforms with Utah state law granting cities the power to "preserve the health and promote the prosperity, improve the morals, peace and good order, comfort and convenience of the city and its inhabitants." Nevertheless, some state legislators say if the bill is passed they will scrutinize it to be sure it does not violate the constitutional amendment.

In Utah! Amazing.