Activists turning up the heat on DP registry

Orlando-area activists are turning up the heat on Orange County leadership to follow the city of Orlando in implementing a domestic partner registry.

In a May 22 letter to Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer got the domestic partner registry ball rolling by announcing he plans to move forward on the issue as soon as possible, and encouraging Jacobs to join the city, noting that working together would avoid duplication.

On June 14, Mayor Jacobs responded via letter:

â┚¬Å”Having devoted several months and many resources to establishing domestic partner benefits early on in my administration, we are now focused on tightening our ethics ordinance, economic development and undertaking a benchmarking studyâ┚¬Â¦ These matters will require much of my staff's time and attention in the coming months.â┚¬Â

Jacobs added that their evaluation of the registry will be considered â┚¬Å”at a future point in time,â┚¬Â but revealed no more details about a potential timeline.

Still, LGBT activists are continuing to encourage Jacobs to take up the issue sooner, rather than later. Former city commissioner Linda Stewart sent a letter requesting that Jacobs and her staff start the process now, recommending the mayor â┚¬Å”appoint a member of your staff and perhaps a member of the community affected to work with this same committee and bring a recommendation to you after its conclusion.â┚¬Â

Stewart emphasized that further study is always an option, but â┚¬Å”but at the minimum you will see the direction of the recommendation and have a better idea of when and where you wish to proceed.â┚¬Â

Stewart added that she is hopeful the ordinance can be completed by this coming fall.

Three Orlando Anti-Discrimination Ordinance Committee (OADO) members attended the June 21 County Commission meeting to urge the commissioners to support Mayor Dyer's forward movement on the issue.

According to local activist and filmmaker Vicki Nantz, â┚¬ÂJohn Stemberger, president of Florida Family Policy Council and co-father of Florida’s anti-gay Amendment 2, spoke to the commission and disingenuously stated that gay couples can simply execute documents to secure rights like visitation and funeralsâ┚¬â€an outright lie.â┚¬Â

Stemberger also claimed the registry would be limited to same-sex couples, but Nantz clarified that OADO is in favor of a domestic partner registry that is inclusive of all couples.

In the meantime, City of Orlando Public Information Officer Cassandra Lafser said the city is organizing a group to get the ordinance established. She did not provide any details as to who would make up the working group.

When asked about a timeline for the registry, Lafser said it will be â┚¬Å”more months than weeks because an ordinance is a legal document and legal documents must be drafted by attorneys.â┚¬Â

Although Jacobs' letter to Dyer indicated the county would not pursue the issue at this time, Lafser said the city is still â┚¬Å”very hopefulâ┚¬Â the county will eventually adopt the registry, noting that the county adopted domestic partner benefits for employees a few years after the city did so.