Nassau urged to rethink vote

Leaders of Nassau's police unions yesterday asked the county legislature to reconsider its rejection of a proposed domestic partner registry that would allow unmarried couples access to certain benefits.

"We support the domestic registry proposal and urge those legislators who voted against it to reconsider," Gary DelaRaba, president of the Police Benevolent Association, said at a Garden City news conference yesterday.

Flanked by Superior Officers Association president Lt. Gary Learned and Detectives Association president Tom Willdig, DelaRaba urged County Executive Thomas Suozzi to extend to all the county's employees the domestic partner benefits recently given to its Civil Service Employees Association members.

Last week, the registry bill was defeated 10-8-1, after conservatives strongly objected, calling it a precursor to gay marriage.

The Democratic majority lost two of its votes, with Legis. Joseph Scannell of Baldwin voting 'no' and Legis. Roger Corbin of Westbury abstaining after failing to get the bill tabled for further study.

Learned said the department has gay members who would benefit from such a policy change.

DelaRaba, though, was quick to note that both heterosexual and homosexual officers would benefit. He added that if he had to guess, that would be about 50 out of an estimated 1,800 members, though he could not say how many are gay.

"[But] the definition of a family is far different today from what it was years ago. This is a different society, a different world," he added.

Suozzi said he "supports both the registry and extended health care benefits."

Judy Jacobs, the legislature's presiding officer, said she was pleased by the police support for the registry, but emphasized that it would only make it easier for a domestic partner to get benefits already in effect, such as an employer's health coverage. She promised to reintroduce the legislation, "but only after addressing the concerns of the legislators who voted against it."

New York City has such a registry and Suffolk County recently enacted one.

By SID CASSESE (Newsday Staff Writer)
Posted Thursday, May 4, 2006

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