Mayor Jacobs: Orange may take up dom. partner registry in 2011

Gay rights activists pressed Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs again Tuesday to partner with Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer to quickly create a domestic partner registry, but Jacobs maintained she has other priorities and unanswered questions about the proposal.

Also, John Stemberger of the Florida Family Policy Council spoke out against the need for such a registry, marking the first time in recent debates around gay rights issues that organized opposition materialized.

Proponents for creating a registry say it’s a more formal way to recognize long-term relationships, and it helps couples who can’t marry more easily navigate through legal and emergency issues and in hospitals, schools and after death.

Opponents such as Stemberger said “proper estate planning” should suffice to secure these rights. He also warned that creating a “special legal classification” for same-sex couples has been used to mount legal challenges on gay marriage bans in other parts of the country.

Members of Orlando Anti-Discrimination Ordinance Committee lobbied successfully last year for an expanded human rights ordinance, which Orange leaders passed in a 6-1 vote. And earlier this year, Jacobs delivered on a campaign promise to allow same-sex county employees to receive most of the same benefits that married county workers get. Members Tuesday told commissioners that a registry is the “final piece” of local reform needed to help same-sex couples.

But on the registry issue, Jacobs has said that ethics, budget, redistricting and other priorities come first. Jacobs didn’t back off of that Tuesday, but said she had appointed a point person to deal with Dyer on this issue — her chief of staff — and would consider taking up a registry proposal later this year.

Registry proponent Mary Meeks said she was encouraged after Tuesday’s meeting, both to hear the mayor had picked someone to work with Dyer, and that Jacobs was open to considering the registry issue later this year.