Kansas: May 3rd event to tackle domestic partner registry

By Diane Silver

The MAINstream Coalition and Kansas Equality Coalition are sponsoring a panel discussion Thursday, May 3, to answer the question "So, What's a Domestic Partner Registry, Anyway?"

The topic is timely because the Lawrence City Commission is expected to vote soon on a registry for the city.

Among the questions to be discussed are:

• What is a domestic partner registry?
• How will it impact life in Lawrence?
• Do I have to be pro-gay to be pro-registry?
• Why is this a church-state separation issue?

The event is at 7 p.m. at Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vermont St. in Lawrence. The panel is tentatively expected to include Toni Ramirez Wheeler, interim director of the city of Lawrence; Boo Tyson, executive director of MAINstream Coalition and a local businessman.

At the beginning of April Attorney General Paul Morrison issued an opinion saying that a domestic partner registry is constitutional.