City of Orlando first in Central Florida to register domestic partners
Orlando, Florida began registering domestic partnerships for some legal recognition. The scope of the registration is limited to being within the city’s boundaries. Any two adults who are currently single, unrelated, and share a “mutual residence” can pay $30 to register at City Hall.
The contract grants certain benefits of “health care facility visitation, health care decisions, funeral/burial decisions, correctional facility visitation, notification of family members, preneed guardian designation, and participation in education” of a dependent.
One couple told the WKMG about their real world need for the registration. Alan Meeks has a brain tumor and his partner, Rob Domenico, said (ClickOrlando.com):
“Throughout our relationship, we’ve had to worry about his tumor and is it going to resurface? If it happens, we’re lucky our families are very agreeable. We would never have a problem with our families, however, the hospital system itself may deny us the rights to make decisions for each other or even be there for each other when we need it most.”
Orlando’s Mayor, Buddy Dyer, posted a special message to the city’s website that read in part:
”We are excited to be the first government in Central Florida to establish a Domestic Partnership Registry and to take the important step of giving same-sex couples some of the same, basic rights that other couples in committed relationships have.
“The City of Orlando values its diversity. We are incredibly proud to have played a leadership role in this effort and to make Central Florida a more inclusive place for everybody, regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation.”
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