Domestic partner registries may be going statewide.
Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, has filed a bill that would allow Florida residents to enter into domestic partnerships. “Senate Bill 196: Families First” would allow any two people over the age of 18 to enter into a domestic partnership, which would give that couple some of the rights granted to married couples.
“There are a significant number of individuals in this state who live together in important, personal, emotional, and economically committed relationships,” the legislative findings read. “Together, these individuals live, serve, and participate in the community, and often rear children and care for family members.”
The legislation states: “The state has a strong interest in promoting stable and lasting families, and believes that all families should be provided with the opportunity to obtain necessary legal protections and status and the ability to achieve their fullest potential.”
The bill’s language specifically states that it is not an attempt to bypass Florida’s constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between one man and one woman, and “the Legislature does not seek to alter the definition of marriage in any way.”
As of presstime, the legislation outlines eligibility for domestic partnership, fee requirements and procedures for how the partnerships would be filed, but does not state specifically what rights are granted couples who would register as domestic partners.
