Unmarried couples in Richfield, Edina, Eagan and Eden Prairie can go to City Hall, pay a small fee and leave with a certificate saying they're domestic partners. Couples in Bloomington can't, at least not yet. A "Domestic Partnership Registration Ordinance" is on the agenda for the city's Human Rights Commission on Tuesday, Oct. 20. It's listed under organizational business.
Here's what a registry does. Minnesota has no statewide domestic partnership status, so 19 cities have created their own by ordinance, according to OutFront Minnesota, the state's LGBTQ advocacy group. Couples usually pay $25 to $50 for a certificate. That paper doesn't change anything that state law controls, like inheritance, adoption or custody. It helps couples get benefits that employers, hospitals and other institutions choose to offer, such as partner health coverage. A city can't make a private business provide those benefits, but a city certificate gives willing employers an easy way to verify a relationship. Bloomington isn't one of the 19 cities.
The idea is in line with things the city has said publicly about LGBTQIA+ residents. At a February 2025 council meeting, a speaker praised the work city staff were doing to keep Bloomington a place where LGBTQIA+ residents "want to be and can safely work [and] live."
City of Bloomington@CityofBloomingtonMNA speaker credits city staff for work making Bloomington a place LGBTQIA+ residents want to live, and cites the Human Rights Campaign.02/24
In March 2026, the council heard a proclamation that recognized "the courage it takes to live openly and authentically" and affirmed the dignity and rights of transgender people in the community. Proclamations are symbolic. A registry would be one of the few things a city can actually do in this area: an ordinance with a form attached.
City of Bloomington@CityofBloomingtonMNThe council hears a proclamation affirming the dignity, rights and humanity of transgender residents.03/02
As of now, the Oct. 20 agenda posting doesn't include a draft ordinance, a staff memo or any recommendation on the registry, so there's nothing public yet on what a fee, eligibility rules or a filing process would look like. The commission has 9 members and is chaired by Jessica Thornton. It advises the City Council and doesn't pass ordinances itself. Any Bloomington registry would have to go to the council for adoption.
The meeting starts at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, in the Haeg Conference Room at Civic Plaza, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Road. That's later than the commission's usual 5:30 p.m. start. The city says the public can come in person or watch and listen remotely, but the Webex and phone details hadn't been posted yet. Commissioners also have updates on the Omar Bonderud Award and the second part of their 2027 workplan session on the agenda, so the registry may end up on next year's to-do list.
To weigh in before the meeting, email the commission at [email protected] or call 952-563-8501. If you need an accommodation to attend, call 952-563-8733 (MN Relay 711) by 9 a.m. the business day before.
