Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller
announced last week that his office will begin accepting applications
for domestic partnerships a month before the law goes into effect on
October 1.
Gay and straight couples can register
as domestic partners from Monday, August 24 to September 24.
“October 1 will be a historic day in
Nevada,” Miller said in a statement. “We would like as many
couples as possible to be a part of it by having their certificates
in hand.”
Registering with the state will cost a
couple $50. A ceremonial certificate can be purchased for $15.
The Nevada Legislature passed the
domestic partner law in June against the wishes of Governor Jim
Gibbons, who vetoed the bill saying it was not necessary. The law
offers couples limited benefits associated with marriage, including
hospital visitation rights, estate planning and shared responsibility
for debt. The law does not guarantee spouses health care and other
employer-related benefits.
Opponents of the law argue that such
unions are too similar to marriage and go against the will of Nevada
voters who approved a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage
in 2002.
The law's sponsor, openly gay Senator
David Parks, is expected to hand out licenses in Las Vegas on October
1.