Allows unmarried couples access to benefits
The Dutchess County Legislature on Tuesday (Oct. 11) approved a law allowing residents and county employees to register their domestic relationships and receive some of the same legal, financial and medical benefits as married couples.
The vote was 21-2, with two legislators absent. Both Nick Page and Yvette Valdes Smith, Democrats whose districts include parts of Beacon, voted yes. The law takes effect 60 days after it is filed with the state and will be administered by the county clerk.
To apply, the partners must have been living together for at least a year and provide documentation proving their partnership, such as statements showing joint bank accounts, credit cards or property.
