House Gives OK to Domestic Registry Bill

Mar 06, 2008 by Eric Ray

(KCPW News) Utah's cities and counties will be allowed to create registries extending benefits to adult designees as long as those registries don't cross a certain line.

"The purpose of First Substitute Senate Bill 299 is to reaffirm marriage under Amendment 3, and to prevent municipal registries to create marriage look-alikes," says Representative Kevin Garn of Davis County, the measure's House sponsor. "I believe we have crafted a good bill and it will do exactly what we need it to do."

Garn says the purpose of the bill is to protect Amendment 3 of Utah's Constitution, which defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman. Representative Mike Noel of Kane County introduced a second substitute bill that would have essentially returned the bill to the language introduced by Senator Chris Buttars earlier in the session. That would have effectively shut down the registry developed in Salt Lake City earlier this year. A motion was then made to circle the bill, which would have delayed the debate. That motion drew the ire of Salt Lake County Representative David Litvack.

"There have been no changes to the bill in the House. If you didn't know where you were before the debate, you not going to know now. We've all had a chance to look at it. The one motion to amend has failed, so let's just move forward and stop wasting time," says Litvack.

The House passed the measure with a 61 to 9 vote and will now be considered by the Governor.

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