Loading...
(a) Civil union partners may make an official record of their civil union by executing a "civil union registration statement" on the form prescribed by the city.
(b) The statement must include a declaration that the persons are in a relationship of mutual support, caring and commitment 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 statement must include a declaration that both persons agree to file a termination of the civil union if there is a change in the status of their relationship such that they cease to meet the criteria for a civil union under this ordinance.
(d) The sworn statement shall include the date on which the civil union was registered, and the mailing address(es) of both partners. The civil union statement shall further state that the civil union partners meet the criteria set forth in section 17-72.
(e) In addition to the registration statement, civil union partners may submit to the city, and the city shall maintain, a statement or list describing any additional documents, such as contracts and agreements, that document the rights, responsibilities and obligations that the civil union partners have established. In order to prevent public access to private, personal information, civil union partners may not submit, and the city will not maintain, the contracts and agreements themselves. By way of example, the statement or list of additional documents evidencing the parties' civil union may include a description of:
(1) Agreements between the parties regarding the management and ownership of real and personal property.
(2) Agreements between the parties regarding the obligations that either or both may have agreed to assume regarding the existing children or other family members of one or both of the parties.
(3) Agreements between the parties regarding the obligations that either or both may have agreed to assume regarding prospective children of one or both of the parties.
(4) Agreements between the parties regarding the disposition of their property upon the death of either party.
(5) Agreements for resolving any disputes that may arise should the relationship dissolve, through alternative dispute resolution procedures or otherwise.
(6) Documents that establish any other rights or obligations that may be legally exchanged by and between the parties.
(f) As part of the registration statement, the parties to a civil union may include a statement describing their shared intentions regarding the scope of the relationship, regardless of whether or not they have entered into any contracts or agreements of the kind described in subparagraph (e) above.
(g) Any documents described in the statement or list provided to the city pursuant to subsection (e) above, and any statement of shared intent provided pursuant to subsection (f) above, shall only be effective as provided under Arizona law and any other applicable law, and the fact that the statement or list has been submitted to the city and/or is maintained by the city shall not affect whether those documents are enforceable or binding upon the parties thereto. For example, some agreements may require additional documentation or formalities in execution in order to effectuate their intent under Arizona law.
(Ord. No. 9898, § 1, 9-15-03; Ord. No. 11088, § 1, 6-18-13, eff. 7-19-13)
A civil union shall terminate upon the occurrence of any one (1) of the following:
(1) The death of one (1) of the partners;
(2) The filing of a sworn termination statement with the city's finance department on the form prescribed by the city. The person filing the sworn termination statement shall declare that the civil union is terminated and, if the termination statement has not been signed by both parties to the civil union, that the other person has been notified in writing of such termination at the last known address of such person;
(3) The marriage, expressly recognized by the State of Arizona, of either one of the civil union partners.
(Ord. No. 9898, § 1, 9-15-03; Ord. No. 11088, § 1, 6-18-13, eff. 7-19-13)
(a) The fee for filing a civil union statement and any attachments shall be fifty dollars ($50.00) which entitles the person filing the statement on behalf of the civil union to two (2) certified copies of the official statement, which shall constitute civil union certificates.
(b) The fee for obtaining additional copies shall be ten dollars ($10.00) per copy.
(c) The fee for filing a termination of civil union statement shall be ten dollars ($10.00).
(Ord. No. 9898, § 1, 9-15-03; Ord. No. 11088, § 1, 6-18-13, eff. 7-19-13)
(a) Health care visitation. All health care facilities operating within the city shall allow the registered civil union partner of a patient to visit such patient unless no visitors are allowed or the patient expresses a desire that visitation by the civil union partner be restricted. As used in this section, "health care facility" means every place, institution, building or agency, whether organized for profit or not, which provides facilities with medical services, nursing services, health screening services, other health-related services, supervisory care services, personal care services or directed care services and includes home health agencies as defined in A.R.S. § 36-151 and hospice service agencies.
(b) Use of and access to city facilities. All facilities owned or operated by the city, including but not limited to recreational facilities shall allow the registered civil union partner of a user to be included in any rights and privileges accorded a spouse for purposes of use of and access to city facilities.
(c) City employee benefits. To the extent authorized by law, any city employee who is registered with the city as a civil union partner may designate his or her partner as a beneficiary of any of the benefits provided by the city in the same manner as a spouse of an employee.
(Ord. No. 9898, § 1, 9-15-03; Ord. No. 11088, § 1, 6-18-13, eff. 7-19-13)
(a) Nothing in this article shall be interpreted to contravene the general laws of the State of Arizona.
(b) Nothing in this article shall be construed to create additional legal liabilities greater than those already existing under law or to create new private causes of action.
(c) By maintaining records provided by civil union partners pursuant to this article, including the statement or list of documents as described in section 17-73(e) and the statement of shared intent as described in section 17-73(f), the city does not make any representation or warranty that such documents, records or stated intentions are legally enforceable or valid.
(Ord. No. 9898, § 1, 9-15-03; Ord. No. 11088, § 1, 6-18-13, eff. 7-19-13)
The statement of civil union, the civil union certificate and all documents provided to the city by civil union partners pursuant to this article shall be treated as a public record pursuant to the laws of the State of Arizona and shall be subject to disclosure upon request.
(Ord. No. 11088, § 2, 6-18-13, eff. 7-19-13)
Loading...