Rights of Domestic Partners From Out of State May Be Recognized

The West Hollywood City Council is scheduled to vote Monday on a proposed ordinance that would expand the city’s domestic partnership program to include people registered as domestic partners in other cities.

Such recognition largely is symbolic, but it would allow domestic partners from out of state to receive benefits that partners living in West Hollywood now have. Domestic partners can, for example, visit each other in hospitals with the same freedom given to family members.

In addition, some private businesses and organizations in West Hollywood extend their membership privileges to the domestic partners of original members. And West Hollywood’s city employees who have domestic partners are treated as if they were legally married couples.

The city’s domestic partnership program also covers gay couples and senior citizens who live together, said Deanna Stevenson, an aide to Councilwoman Abbe Land.

If council members approve the new ordinance Monday, West Hollywood will recognize the domestic partnership registration programs of 11 cities, including Berkeley, Laguna Beach and San Francisco.

The other municipalities include Carrboro, N.C.; Madison, Wis.; Travis County, Texas, Minneapolis and New Orleans. West Hollywood also will recognize domestic partnership programs in Rochester and Ithaca, N.Y., and in New York City.

West Hollywood officials are hoping to create reciprocal agreements with the cities it is recognizing, said Charlie Makinney, assistant city manager.

“What we’re saying to other cities is that if you have a program similar to ours, which means you do not restrict it to heterosexual couples, we will recognize registered couples in your city,” Makinney said. “We’re taking the first step and our hope is that they will take the next step and recognize ours.”

West Hollywood started its Domestic Partnership Program in 1985, granting two non-married adults the right to declare a domestic partnership if they are sole partners and responsible for each other’s welfare. City officials say West Hollywood is the first city to recognize the domestic partner status of people from other states.

“This is one way for couples to feel comfortable when they come from one city to another,” Stevenson said.