2011-1035 Domestic PartnersCITY OF HOPKINS
COUNTY OF HENNEPIN
ORDINANCE NO. 2011-1035
AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING
SECTION 1025 OF THE HOPKINS CITY CODE
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HOPKINS HEREBY ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. That Section 1025 be added to read as follows:
Section 1025 - Domestic Partnerships
1025.01 Purpose. The City of Hopkins authorizes and establishes a voluntary program of
registration of domestic partners. The domestic partnership registry is a means by which
unmarried, committed couples who reside in Hopkins and who share a life and home together
may document their relationship.
Hopkins's Domestic Partnership ordinance is a City ordinance and does not create rights,
privileges, or responsibilities that are available to married couples under state or federal law.
The City of Hopkins cannot provide legal advice concerning domestic partnerships. Applicants
and registrants may wish to consult with an attorney for such advice including but not limited to:
wills, medical matters, finances and powers of attorney, children and dependents, medical, health
care and employment benefits.
1025.03 Definitions. The following words and phrases used in this Code have the meanings
given in this Section.
Domestic Partner. Any two adults who meet all the following:
1. Are not related by blood closer than permitted under marriage laws of the state.
2. Are not married.
3. Are competent to enter into a contract.
4. Are jointly responsible to each other for the necessities of life.
5. Are committed to one another to the same extent as married persons are to each other,
except for the traditional marital status and solemnities.
6. Do not have any other domestic partner(s).
7. Are both at least 18 years of age.
8. Reside in Hopkins.
Domestic Partnership. The tern "domestic partnership" shall include, upon production of
valid, government -issued documentation, in addition to domestic partnerships registered with
the City of Hopkins, and regardless of whether partners in either circumstance have sought
further registration with the City of Hopkins:
a) Any persons who have a currently -registered domestic partnership with a
governmental body pursuant to state, local or other law authorizing such registration. The
term domestic partnership shall be construed liberally to include unions, regardless of
title, in which two individuals are committed to one another as married persons are
traditionally committed, except for the traditional marital status and solemnities.
b) Marriages that would be legally recognized as a contract of lawful marriage in another
local, state or foreign jurisdiction, but for the operation of Minnesota law.
1025.05 Registration of Domestic Partnerships.
a) The City Clerk shall accept an application in a form provided by the City to register
domestic partners who state in such application that they meet the definition of domestic
partners.
b) The City Clerk shall charge an application fee for the registration of domestic partners
and shall charge a fee for providing certified copies of registrations, amendments, or
notices of termination. The fees required by this Section shall be in the amount set forth
in Section 1010 of this Code.
c) The City Clerk shall provide each domestic partner with a registration certificate. The
registration certificate shall not be issued prior to the third working day after the date of
the application.
d) This application and certificate may be used as evidence of the existence of a domestic
partner relationship.
e) The City Clerk shall keep a record of all registrations of domestic partnership,
amendments to registrations and notices of termination. The records shall be maintained
so that amendments and notices of termination are filed with the registration of domestic
partnership to which they pertain.
f) The application and amendments thereto, the registration certificate, and termination
notices shall constitute government data and will be subject to disclosure pursuant to the
terms of the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act.
1025.07 Amendments. The City Clerk may accept amendments for filing from persons who have
domestic partnership registrations on file, except amendments which would replace one of the
registered partners with another individual.
1025.09 Termination of Domestic Partnership. Domestic partnership registration terminates
when the earliest of the following occurs:
1. One of the partners dies; or
2. Forty-five days after one partner: a) sends the other partner written notice, on a form
provided by the City, that he or she is terminating the partnership; and b) files the
notice of termination and an affidavit of service of the notice on the other partner with
the City Clerk.
Section 3. The effective date of this ordinance shall be the date of publication.
First Reading:
Second Reading:
Date of Publication:
Date Ordinance Takes Effect:
September 6, 2011
September 27, 2011
October 6, 2011
October 6, 2011
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APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
City Attorney Signature
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Gene Maxwell, Mayor
Date