Tallahassee- State Rep. Linda Stewart (D-Orlando) has filed HB 439, which approved, would create a domestic partner registry for the state of Florida.
The Florida Families Act “authorizes clerk of circuit court to collect filing fee for domestic partner registrations; establishes requirements for domestic partnership; provides that act does not preempt authority of county or municipality to enact domestic partnership ordinance unless in conflict with act,” according to the text of the bill.
It was filed Dec. 18 and is co-sponsored by Janet Cruz (D-Tampa) and Joe Saunders (D-Orlando).
A similar bill was filed in January of 2013 by Sen. Eleanor Sobel (D-Hollywood), and cleared the Florida Senate Committee on Children, Families and Elder Affairs by a 5 to 4 vote in April, but died in the Judiciary Committee in May.
The bill would grant registered domestic partners a number of rights and protections, including end-of-life decisions, medical care, funeral arrangements and childcare.
According to the bill, fees collected from domestic partner registrations will be used to create a domestic violence trust fund.
