Date: Sat, 01 Mar 1997 12:40:06 -0600
From: "William B. Kelley" <wbkelley@anet-chi.com>

Following is the exact text of the proposed ordinance introduced
February 26 in the Chicago City Council, with mayoral support and 30
cosponsors out of 50 aldermen, to provide fringe benefits, including
health coverage, for the designated domestic partners of employees of
city government.=20

It has been referred to the Committee on Finance and appears to be on a
fast track, with final Council passage possible by March 19.

As you can see, it excludes unmarried opposite-sex partners who wish to
remain unmarried, with the result that married opposite-sex partners
will enjoy an advantage over them (despite U.S. and Illinois
equal-protection clauses; U.S., Illinois, and Chicago prohibitions of
sex and marital-status discrimination; and Chicago prohibition of
sexual-orientation discrimination). It also requires a 12-month waiting
period before any new same-sex partner can be designated for benefits.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

                           O R D I N A N C E

     BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 2-152 of the Municipal Code of Chicago is hereby
amended by inserting a new Section 2-152-072, as follows:

2-152-072   Eligibility for benefits=97Qualified domestic partners.

     A qualified domestic partner, as defined in this section, of an
individual employed by the city of Chicago shall be eligible for the
same benefits, including but not limited to health coverage, as are
available to the spouse of an individual employed by the city of
Chicago.

     To be eligible for coverage as a qualified domestic partner, the
City employee and the domestic partner must complete and file with the
department of personnel an "Affidavit of Domestic Partnership" in which
they attest that:

     (A)   They are each other's sole domestic partner, responsible
           for each other's common welfare, and

     (B)   Neither party is married, and

     (C)   The partners are not related by blood closer than would
           bar marriage in the State of Illinois, and

     (D)   Each partner is at least 18 years of age and the partners
           are the same sex, and

     (E)   Two of the following four conditions exist for the partners:

           1.   The partners have been residing together for at
                least twelve (12) months prior to filing the Affidavit
                of Domestic Partnership.

           2.   The partners have common or joint ownership of a
                residence.

           3.   The partners have at least two of the following
                arrangements:

                a.   Joint ownership of a motor vehicle;
                b.   A joint credit account;
                c.   A joint checking account;
                d.   A lease for a residence identifying both domestic
                     partners as tenants.

           4.   The City employee declares that the domestic partner is
                identified as a primary beneficiary in the employee's
                will.

     In addition to the foregoing, for a domestic partner to be
qualified, the parties must agree to notify the department of personnel
of any change in the circumstances which have been attested to in the
documents qualifying a person for coverage as a domestic partner.

     Following the termination of a domestic partnership, a minimum of
twelve months must elapse before a City employee is eligible to
designate a new domestic partner.

     The commissioner of personnel is hereby authorized to promulgate
regulations to effectuate the purposes of this section.

SECTION 2.  This ordinance shall take effect 30 days after its passage
and publication.