The St. Louis Park City Council voted Monday night to advance a domestic partner registry ordinance. The unanimous vote means the ordinance will have a second hearing at the next council meeting where it is expected to pass. Like all of MInnesota’s domestic partner ordinances, they little legal weight but are helpful for couples in getting family memberships and securing benefits from employers (A Minnesota state law bans municipalities from providing partner benefits to city employees).

According to Patch’s Michael Rose:

From cities like St. Louis Park, [OutFront Minnesota’s Phil] Duran hopes the next step is enacting change at the Minnesota Legislature. A new session starts today, and OutFront Minnesota will be actively lobbying, referencing domestic partnership registries as a sign that residents want change. Duran said he couldn’t say when same-sex marriages will be recognized by the state, but he does see it happening.

“The day is coming,” he said.

When the ordinance finally passes later this month — and the ordinance goes into effect in February — St. Louis Park will become the eighth city to have passed such an ordinance following Minneapolis, Duluth, Saint Paul, Edina, Rochester, Maplewood, and Golden Valley.