Salt Lake mayor considers relationship registry

But whether he can legally do that in Utah is up for debate.

Some critics say such a move would run afoul of a state law approved by the largely conservative Utah electorate last year. The city’s attorney is still researching the law’s implications and whether it would block Anderson’s plan.

The ballot initiative approved by voters last year changed the state constitution to say “no other domestic union, however denominated, may be recognized as a marriage or given the same or substantially equivalent legal effect.”

Republican State Rep. LaVar Christensen, who backed the ballot initiative, said he was willing to sponsor legislation to stop the city if the current law isn’t clear.

Anderson’s “attempt to circumvent existing law is tantamount to the San Francisco mayor standing on the steps (of City Hall) and performing (gay) marriages,” Christensen said.

Anderson is also considering extending health benefits to partners of gay employees, something proponents of the law say the city is prevented from doing.

Sen. Scott McCoy, a Democrat from Salt Lake City and one of two openly gay state lawmakers, said the new law shouldn’t prevent a registry or domestic partner health benefits because it was specific to marriages and civil unions.

Utah’s gay community sees the registry as important regardless.

“The registry’s a wonderful tool that can be used by a municipality or a city or state to allow nontraditional partners to validate their relationships,” said Valerie Larabee, executive director of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center of Utah. “Any step toward recognizing nontraditional families and partnerships is a step in the right direction.”

Some city council members see the registry as a misstep that could affect the results of the upcoming city elections in November because gay issues can mobilize voters. Others believe the issue isn’t a matter for the city to address.