Days after Gulfport approved the creation of a domestic partnership registry last week — the first municipality in Pinellas County to do so — Clearwater moved forward with similar legislation. At its May 17 meeting, Clearwater's City Council voted unanimously to create a registry for unmarried same-sex and heterosexual couples that would grant them certain medical and visitation rights, among other benefits. The council will have a final vote on the matter at its June 7 meeting.
St. Petersburg's City Council unanimously approved the first reading of a similar ordinance at a meeting earlier this month and will also take a second vote on it at a June 7 meeting. Meanwhile, Pinellas County is considering the creation of a county-wide registry.
