Explanation
This ordinance amends Sections 229.03 and 229.04 of the Columbus City Codes, the code sections associated with the city’s domestic partner registry. The current code requires that any two persons “wishing to establish a domestic partnership” must complete and submit a declaration of domestic partnership with the Columbus City Clerk, and do so either in person or via mail. This code change replaces the “in person” and “by mail” options aspect of filing a declaration with “electronically” to accommodate electronic submission of a declaration. This code change also adds an administrative fee to accommodate electronic filing costs.
Emergency action is requested in order to align enactment of the code with the establishment of online payment processing in early January.
Title
To amend Sections 229.03 and 229.04 of the Columbus City Codes to accommodate the electronic filing of domestic partnership declarations, and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, current Columbus City Code requires that any two persons “wishing to establish a domestic partnership” must complete and submit a declaration of domestic partnership with the Columbus City Clerk, and do so either in person or via mail; and
WHEREAS, this code change replaces the “in person” and “by mail” options aspect of filing a declaration with “electronically” to accommodate electronic submission of a declaration; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the office of the City Clerk in that it is necessarily to immediately enact this code change to align with the establishment of online transactions in early January 2025, NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That Section 229.03 of the Columbus City Codes is hereby amended as follows:
229.03 - Filing.
(1)Location: Two (2) persons wishing to establish a domestic partnership must complete and file, either in person electronically or by ground mail, a declaration of domestic partnership with the Columbus City Clerk.
(2)Prohibitions: No individual who has previously filed a declaration of domestic partnership with the Columbus City Clerk may file a new declaration of domestic partnership until a notice of termination of domestic partnership has been filed with the Columbus City Clerk. However, this prohibition shall not apply if the previous domestic partnership ended because one (1) of the domestic partners is deceased. A death certificate or a dated newspaper obituary with newspaper citation may be used as proof of death to end partnership.
SECTION 2. That Section 229.04 of the Columbus City Codes is hereby amended as follows:
229.04 - Registration.
(1) The city clerk shall develop "declaration of domestic partnership" and "notice of termination of domestic partnership" forms.
(2) The "declaration of domestic partnership" form shall require each registrant to:
a. Affirm that the individual meets the aforementioned requirements of this section;
b. Provide a mailing address;
c. Sign the form under penalty of perjury; and
d. Have a notary public acknowledge his or her signature.
(3) The city shall have declaration and termination forms available at the office of the city clerk.
(4) The city shall charge fifty ($50.00) dollars plus an administrative fee of fifty ($50.00) dollars to persons filing a declaration of domestic partnership. No fee shall be charged for the filing of a notice of termination of domestic partnership.
(5) The city shall register the declaration of domestic partnership in a registry and return a copy of the declaration form to the domestic partners at the address provided as their common residence.
(6) The city shall register the notice of termination of domestic partnership pursuant to the aforementioned requirements set forth in this division.
SECTION 23. That this ordinance shall take effect at the earliest date allowable by law. That, for the reasons stated in the Preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this Ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.