Columbus City Council Creates Domestic Partner Registry

On June 8th, Mayor Coleman, Columbus City Council President Andrew Ginther, and Councilman Zach Klein (pictured above) proposed creating a domestic partner registry for the city of Columbus. At the time, the language of the legislation was still being worked out. They hoped to be able to introduce it to the full council by the end of July. Last night they achieved their goal. The vote in support of the legislation was unanimous.

Kim Welter, the Interim Executive Director for Equality Ohio was there to testify on behalf of the proposal last night. Paul Feeney, Board Chair of Equality Ohio, and Terry Brown, Democratic candidate for Franklin County Recorder, were also in attendance to show their support.

It wasn’t clear when the vote would take place so they were present from 5:00 pm until 9:30 pm when the vote finally occurred.

A Domestic Partner Registry is a tool domestic partners can choose to show that they are eligible for domestic partner benefits offered by employers or family discounts provided by businesses and organizations. The registry is seen as a way for domestic partners to record their relationships and for businesses and organizations to have a neutrally administered means of qualifying a person for benefits or discounts that they may choose to offer.

Applying In Person:

Applicants must submit their $50.00 registration fee by check or money order made payable to “Columbus City Treasurer” to the Columbus City Treasurer’s office on the First floor of City Hall, Rm. 111, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and obtain a receipt. The receipt from the City Treasurer’s office and the original notarized application form should then be submitted to the Office of the City Clerk, located on the Second Floor of Columbus City Hall, 90 West Broad Street, Rm. 231, Columbus, Ohio, 43215 during regular business hours, which are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (holidays may affect this schedule). The application will be time-stamped and submitted for processing. Applicants will be mailed a personalized certificate, two business card sized certificates and a copy of the notarized application. (Allow up to 30 days for processing).

What does the registration fee provide?

Accepted applications will receive a certificate, two business-card-sized certificates and will be listed in the City’s domestic partner registry. (This registry is a public record and may be requested by outside parties. If requested, all of the information, including name and address, is part of the public record.)

Additional questions about the Domestic Partner Registry may be directed to the City Clerk’s office at 614-645-7380 or by e-mail at: cityclerkrequests@columbus.gov.

Here’s my video of Councilman Zach Klein introducing the legislation, Kim Welter testifying, Councilwoman Eileen Paley making a statement in support, Kim Welter speaking after the vote, and Terry J. Brown’s after the vote comments.

Story,  photos and video by Lauren Michelle Kinsey
Follow: @OHLMK
Contact: laurenkinsey@gmail.com