St. Paul passes domestic partner registry

(Lavverrue, Flickr)

Yesterday, St. Paul became the third municipality in Minnesota to offer a domestic partnership registry. No citizens testified against the measure, and the city council unanimously approved the registry Wednesday afternoon. Mayor Chris Coleman signed the ordinance into law surrounded by LGBT advocates at the St. Paul gay bar, Camp.

The capital city follows Minneapolis, which enacted such a registry in 1991, and Duluth, which passed a registry into law earlier this year. The entire state of Wisconsin offers a domestic partner registry and limited domestic partner benefits.

Because Minnesota municipalities are forbidden by state law from offering any type of domestic partner benefits, the registry is largely symbolic. But proponents say the new law could benefit couples and businesses for which proof of domestic partnership is needed for legal or insurance reasons.

The cost for a couple to add themselves to the registry is $20.