Domestic partnership registry now open in Orlando

ORLANDO -- 

Giulio Guinta and Timothy Galatas have been together for 14 years.

On Thursday, Jan. 12, they became one of the first gay couple to be sign up for Orlando's new domestic partnership registry.

“I have butterflies. I want to get that done. I want that certificate. It's amazing. I'm just so overwhelmed,” explained Guilio Guinta.

Guinta never thought this day would happen in Orlando but when the Orlando City Council passed the domestic partnership registry. He said he called and made his appointment the next day.

Couples who register for $30 are granted some of the same rights as married men and women, including hospital visitations, rights to health care decisions and joint guardianship of children.

• How to Register: Registry FAQ (pdf)

Those who register will also be entitled to making decisions for their partner whenever he or she is incapacitated.

“It says we're a tolerant community, we're a diverse community and we're a welcoming accepting community,” shared Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.

So far, 96 couples have scheduled domestic partnership registry appointments.

About 25 couples are expected to be registered by the time City Hall closes on Thursday.

Meanwhile, advocates told News 13 the registry is important because it provides legal protections and recognition from the local government.

Those protections include:

• Hospital visitation
• The right to make health care decisions
• Correctional facility visitation
• The right to make funeral/burial decisions
• Guardianship and the right for both domestic partners to participate in education of their children

With that in mind, gay rights activists are turning their attention to Orange County who is also considering a measure.

However, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs said she thinks a database would be best not an ordinance.

“I sincerely hope, that Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs will pay attention to what's happened here today and will realize that it is the right thing to do, to grant to all of the citizens of Orange County the rights that we have gotten today,” said Local Civil Rights Attorney & Domestic Partneship Registrant Mary Meeks.

“She's wrong,” chimed in District 4 City of Orlando Commissioner Patty Sheehan.

“If you don't have an ordinance like we enacted, it's unenforceable. Anybody can have a power of attorney, many people have told their stories about how they've had a power of attorney in their pocket and they've been denied access at the hospital,” continued Sheehan.

“I think the Mayor (Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs) keeps saying, we're trying to open this up to others. This does that. That's what's so frustrating. We did all the homework. We teed it up for her. We hand delivered it to them on a silver platter and she needs to do the right thing and just accept it and do it,” added Sheehan.

Mayor Jacobs has previously said that a final decision should not be expected until March or April 2012.

Jacobs is scheduled to meet with LGBT advocates on Jan. 26.