§ 410-1. Legislative intent.

A. 

This Legislature hereby finds and determines that the American tradition of equal opportunity and the exercise of individual rights protects all citizens against discrimination.

B. 

This Legislature also finds that many couples who live together often have personal relationships and bonds that are as strong as, if not stronger than, married couples, and such couples nurture and care for one another in sickness and in health.

C. 

This Legislature hereby determines that the World Trade Center attack demonstrated the need to provide domestic partners in committed relationships with a means to legally establish that relationship because there are numerous situations in which one partner is injured or killed and the remaining partner has been denied the ability to collect insurance, reside in the partnership's residence, claim next-of-kin benefits, or even to visit his or her hospitalized partner.

D. 

Therefore, the purpose of this chapter is to establish a Suffolk County registry for domestic partners of County residents and/or employees, be they heterosexual or of the same sex.