County Clerk Proposes Domestic Partnership Registry

Dutchess County Clerk Brad Kendall has submitted a local law to the County Legislature establishing a “Domestic Partner Registry” under the aegis of the Dutchess County Clerk.

Establishing a Domestic Partner Registry would address the following concerns:

• The ravages of COVID 19 over the past 26 months are well known, In some cases, the partners of those affected have been denied visitation rights, benefits and the ability to participate in medical decision making.

• Many of our new residents have moved here from jurisdictions that provide domestic partner registries. The five boroughs of New York City, Suffolk County, Westchester County, Putnam County, Rockland County and some municipalities in Nassau County have all established domestic partner registries. When our new residents move to Dutchess County they are unable to continue to prove their partner status since most jurisdictions require residency.

The county legislature has previously considered the establishment of a domestic partner registry on two occasions.

In 2002, the proposal was removed from consideration by the sponsor: Resolution 203042 (4/3/2003); Status: PULLED; Category: LOCAL LAW - DOMESTIC PARTNERS - BEHAVIORAL AND COMMUNITY HLTH/MENTAL HYGIENE/HLTH (dutchessny.gov)

In 2007, the proposal was defeated in committee: Resolution 207194 (8/9/2007); Status: DEFEATED IN COMMITTEE; Category: LOCAL LAW - DOMESTIC PARTNERS (dutchessny.gov)

Earlier debates about a domestic partner registry sometimes got derailed by extraneous concerns. Establishing a registry now would allow those whose long-term relationships have been acknowledged in other jurisdictions to be recognized in their new county of residence.  It will also allow partners to participate more fully in joint financial and medical decision-making.

Proposed Domestic Partnership Registry Local Law