Elected leaders approved the new domestic partner registry Monday night. St. Louis, Kansas City and Jackson County already have such registries.

The legal recognition can allow partners to participate in health care decisions, burial arrangements and other matters. The law is not equivalent to legalizing same-sex marriage, and City Councilwoman Barbara Hoppe pointed out that private employers don’t have to follow the registry.

While this is a big step for another city in Missouri, once you leave city limits you have no partnership rights. So imagine you and your partner drive an hour away and get in a car accident. You now have no rights in making medical decisions for your partner.