Still, opponents of the measure say it still unfairly restricts domestic partner rights and oversteps a proper state role.

Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights, worked with the city late into the night Wednesday, refining the bill.

"It simply excludes registries that purport to establish some marriage-like structure," Bell told the committee. That codifies provisions that Utah voters approved when the state adopted Amendment 3 in 2004.

"The purpose of this bill is not mean-spirited," Bell insisted.

As it stands there are two main sticking points on the legislation -- whether the bill would prevent hospital visitations by domestic partners, and the use of the word "domestic partnership."

But Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker told the committee that, if the bill passes, the city would just create a registry under a different name, which is allowed by the legislation.

"We still have a problem with the bill because there's a fear of using the words 'domestic partnership," he said. "For Utah to be scared of that term . . . is a bit odd, but in Utah we're a bit different."

Bell's bill is an effort to rework an earlier, more sweeping version that had been sponsored by Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, but was jettisoned when House leaders resisted that bill.

Both Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and Attorney General Mark Shurtleff have said they don't believe the bill is necessary. Huntsman did not say if he would veto the measure.

Former Rep. LaVar Christensen said that there is a principle at stake in the registry, and it could "create chaos" to have a patchwork of ordinances that vary from city to city.

"There is no reason, no necessity, for a domestic partner registry," said Christensen.

He said nothing prevents partners from getting health care and there is no restriction on hospital visitation.

But Ruth and Kim Hackford-Peer, a lesbian couple with two children, said they had to go to an attorney to have documents drafted that would allow Kim into the operating room when Ruth gave birth to their second child.

They said that other couples, however, in an emergency situation, may not have the luxury of making such arrangements.

Sen. Carlene Walker, R-Cottonwood Heights, suggested that Bell work on language to clarify the hospital visitation issue, if it is needed, before the bill goes before the full Senate next week, and Bell indicated he would.

The Senate Retirement Committee approved the bill 4-2 on a party-line vote and sent it to the full Senate for consideration.

Sen. Scott McCoy, D-Salt Lake City, who lives with a gay partner, said the latest version of the bill is a vast improvement, but remains ill-conceived.

"Just from a starting point, I think the bill is stupid and unnecessary, but if the Legislature is going to pass a bill, this bill, maybe with hospital visitation added if that's where we end up, that's much better than where Buttars started," said McCoy.