FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 5, 2006
Contact: PAUL PERILLIE, MAJORITY CAUCUS AIDE -- #(631) 854-4500

LICENSE AND REGISTRATION, PLEASE
Legislature Approves Cooper’s Domestic Partner Registry

Yesterday was the culmination of a great political and personal victory for Suffolk County Majority Leader Jon Cooper (D-Huntington) as he led the successful and long-overdue battle to create a domestic partner registry for County residents. Cooper, Long Island’s only openly gay elected official, has been in a committed relationship with his partner, Rob, for nearly 26 years. The two have raised five children together.

After watching with great frustration as similar measures were blocked over the years by the Legislature’s previously Republican-controlled majorities, Cooper felt great satisfaction today as all ten members of his Democratic majority caucus voted to approve the measure. But it wasn’t only Democrats who cast their ballots in the affirmative; Republican legislators Jay Schneiderman (R-Montauk), Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) and Tom Barraga (R-West Islip) crossed party lines to support the registry.

Passage will now allow couples to register to receive a certificate showing that Suffolk County recognizes their committed, long-term relationships. This new status will allow partners to qualify for such things as hospital or nursing home visitation rights and control over their loved one’s bodily remains.

"Passage of Legislator Cooper's domestic partner registry ensures that gay and lesbian families in Suffolk County will be able to access the myriad rights afforded them from both public and private institutions," says Tom Kirdahy, a member of the Suffolk County Human Rights Commission. "No longer will couples have to fear not having access to their partners in hospitals or control over the remains in the event of the death of their loved ones. The Legislature has taken a bold step in ensuring that all Suffolk residents are safer in their homes."

"The creation of this registry not only documents the existence of committed private relationships, but more importantly, it shows that relationships of all kinds deserve legal recognition so those eligible can obtain health insurance and other benefits offered by employers," says Adam Grossman, co-chair of the East End Gay Organization Foundation. "This is a victory for all Suffolk County residents who seek such benefits."

"This is one way for our society to honor the deep love that gay and lesbian people share," says Reverend Paul Ratzlaff, minister of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Huntington. "Finally, deeply committed homosexuals will be able to enjoy some of the same benefits that heterosexuals take for granted."

Since 2004, Suffolk has offered county employees health benefits for domestic partners and their children. On Long Island, the towns of Babylon, East Hampton, Huntington, North Hempstead, Southampton and Southold already have domestic partner registry laws on the books.

"9/11 crystallized a lot of things for Americans," says Cooper. "For members of the gay and lesbian community, it became frighteningly apparent that we need to have publicly accepted records of our private commitments. This bill goes a long way toward providing a little peace of mind for committed, same-sex couples. Love makes a family, and it’s good to know that this is now recognized by our County government."