Originally published August 13, 2007 at midnight, updated August 13, 2007 at midnight
Lawrence domestic same-sex couples can now register their relationships with the city. On Aug. 1 Lawrence became the first city in Kansas to approve a domestic partnership registry.
Maggie Childs, Queers and Allies faculty adviser, worked for a year-and-a-half to see the registry become a law.
“As chair of the Kansas Equality Coalition, I did a lot of lobbying with commissioners,” Childs said. “Last March, I worked hard to oppose the proposed bill to ban domestic partnerships statewide. So on Aug. 1, I was delighted.”
Jennifer McVey and Jennifer Bellew, Lawrence, play with their pet ferret Shadow in their house Thursday evening. The couple filed for a domestic partnership earlier this month.
The Kansas attorney general’s office has confirmed that the registry did not violate the Kansas constitutional amendment that banned same-sex marriage. The registry is not a certificate of marriage, and it holds no legal benefits for registered couples. The symbolism and easier access to insurance benefits make the registry significant.
Lawrence resident Jessica Bellew said the legal recognition is important to her and her partner, Jennifer McVey.
“It may seem silly to some, but to us it is important to have something concrete, something to point to,” Bellew said. “We can’t legally marry, but it makes it feel like someone recognizes we are a couple.”
Bellew and McVey weren’t concerned about health insurance benefits. Bellew is a part-time employee at Lawrence Public Library, but McVey’s Overland Park employer already provided health insurance for domestic partners.
The registry does not require insurance companies to extend benefits to domestic partners. However, some Lawrence businesses have domestic partner insurance benefits, and some will extend coverage with the documentation of a registry.
“More than half of Fortune 500 companies include benefits for domestic partners already,” Childs said. “The documentation will allow easier access.”
Lori Messinger, member of the Kansas Equality Coalition, said some businesses wouldn’t allow insurance benefits for domestic partners, but the registry made it easier for other businesses willing to extend benefits.
“If you don’t have the registry, companies require a lot of documentation,” Messinger said. “The registry is official.”
Frank Reeb, Lawrence city clerk and director of administrative services, said the city preferred to have the registry completed online because of convenience. The registry is available on the city of Lawrence Web site and can be paid for with Visa, Mastercard, or PayPal. To fill out a registry in City Hall, payment needs to be cash or check. The fee is $75.
Couples who wish to register must meet nine requirements to complete the registry. A few of the terms include that a couple must be Lawrence residents, be at least 18 years old, live in a permanent residence and display an interdependent relationship.
“This is a small step, but a great step,” said Jonathan Pryor, Columbus senior. “The big thing is the symbolism.”
Pryor, a member of KU Queers and Allies, participated in a campus petition last spring to support the registry.
Childs agreed that Lawrence set an example for the state.
“It creates a category.” Childs said. “It recognizes something that already existed.”
The city commission approved the domestic partnership registry in May. The registry was adopted on its second and final reading on June 19, and it became a city ordinance on Aug. 1.
— Edited by Dianne Smith
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