Wisconsin became the first state with both an existing ban on same-sex marriage and legislative protection for domestic partnerships when the state's new domestic partner registry opened Monday.
As of Monday evening, about 50 couples in Dane County and 20 couples in Milwaukee had lined up to register, according to Christine Callsen, spokesperson for Fair Wisconsin.
The turnout was good,"" she said.
The legal status of domestic partnership gives same-sex couples visitation rights in medical settings, inheritance protections, exemption from the real estate transfer fee and 40 other protections. Married couples in Wisconsin currently have over 200 legal protections.
The opening of the registry came just days after the conservative group Wisconsin Family Action filed a petition for original action with the state Supreme Court, hoping the court would declare the domestic partner registry unconstitutional.
Julaine Appling, president of Wisconsin Family Action and CEO of Wisconsin Family Council, said she has not yet heard if the Supreme Court is willing to hear the petition as an original action.
""Our response is that while this may be legal today, we believe it is unconstitutional,"" Appling said.
Callsen said the issue of domestic partnerships versus marriage is not a continuing debate.
In May, the Wisconsin Legislative Council issued an opinion stating, ""It is reasonable to conclude that the domestic partnerships proposed '¦ do not confer a legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals.""
Appling said marriage is not only about legal protections. She said if a married couple had legal protections today, and tomorrow the protections were taken away, they would still be married.
""People are married whether or not the government gives them any legal protections,"" she said.
To qualify for the registry, individuals must be of the same sex, be at least 18 years old, share a common residence and not already be in another domestic partnership or marriage.
""This is an important step toward ensuring that someone in a caring, committed relationship is able to care for his or her partner,"" Fair Wisconsin Executive Director Katie Belanger said in a statement. ""This isn't about being gay or straight - it's about being decent.""
