The city is committed to promoting justice, equity, and inclusiveness in the provision of healthcare and many other benefits to all of its citizens that might be offered by the city or by private employers licensed by the city. The city finds that it is made up of a diversity of households and that in those households relationships exist in many different forms. Those forms include committed, unmarried couples in either same or opposite sex relationships; parent and child relationships; other familial relationships; and committed friendships. The city wishes to promote the public health, safety, welfare, and prosperity of its citizens and generally improve overall quality of life by allowing for the efficient and streamlined disposition of healthcare benefits or other benefits that the city or businesses licensed within the city might offer to their employees, including an employee's designee listed on the mutual commitment registry. The city finds that a city maintained list is the best way for the city and for businesses licensed within the city to reliably ascertain whether an employee's designee listed on the mutual commitment registry and beneficiaries are eligible for such benefits. Therefore, it is the policy of the city to allow any two (2) adults in a committed relationship who meet the mutual commitment registry criteria to register with the city and to obtain a certificate attesting to their status. (Ord. 16-08 § 1, 2008)
To be eligible to register a relationship of mutual commitment with Salt Lake City, the two (2) individuals (the "declarants") must meet the following criteria:
A. Freely declare that they are solely and mutually committed to each other;
B. Be persons eighteen (18) years of age or older and be unmarried according to the laws of the state of Utah;
C. Be competent to contract;
D. Be directly dependent upon, or interdependent with, each other, sharing a common financial obligation. Acceptable documentation shall include any three (3) of the following five (5) documents:
1. A joint loan obligation, mortgage, lease, or joint ownership of a vehicle;
2. A life insurance policy, retirement benefits account, or will or trust of one declarant designating the other declarant as beneficiary thereto, or will or trust of one declarant which designates the other declarant as executor or successor trustee;
3. A mutually granted power of attorney for purposes of healthcare or financial management;
4. Proof showing that one declarant is authorized to sign for purposes of the other declarant's bank or credit account;
5. Proof of a joint bank or credit account;
E. Currently share a primary residence in Salt Lake City. For these purposes "primary residence" means the place where both declarants reside. The legal right to occupy the residence need not be joint; and
F. Execute a declaration of mutual commitment, attesting to the foregoing requirements and attesting that the parties are in a relationship of mutual commitment, support, and caring; are responsible for each other's physical and financial welfare; and have the present intention to remain in that relationship. (Ord. 16-08 § 1, 2008)
A. Mutual commitment declarants shall make an official record of their relationship by executing a "declaration of mutual commitment" on the form prescribed by the city.
B. The declaration must include a statement that the persons are in a relationship of mutual commitment, support, and caring, and are responsible for each other's welfare. For these purposes, "mutual support" means that they contribute mutually to each other's maintenance and support.
C. The declaration must include a statement that both persons agree to file a termination of the relationship if there is a change in the status of their relationship such that they cease to meet the criteria for the mutual commitment registry.
D. The sworn declaration shall include the date on which the mutual commitment was registered, the mailing address(es) of both declarants, and the notarized signatures of both declarants. The declaration shall further state that the declarants meet all the criteria for the mutual commitment registry set forth in section 10.03.020 of this chapter.
E. The city shall have no duty to verify the information provided by the individuals filing the declaration of mutual commitment. (Ord. 16-08 § 1, 2008)
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