Tampa's domestic partnership registry -- the first created in the Tampa Bay area -- will be opened for registration at 9 a.m. June 25, Mayor Bob Buckhorn announced Thursday.

"As mayor, I welcome this new opportunity to ensure that all citizens of the City of Tampa have the same basic rights and to spread our spirit of inclusiveness," Buckhorn said in a statement announcing the start. "This is a community that treats everyone with dignity. We are a city that celebrates our diversity as a strength."

To register, couples should go to the City Clerk's office on the third floor of Old City Hall, 315 E Kennedy Blvd. Registrants cannot make an appointment to register, and both partners must be present to register. The proposed registration fee is $30.

For the first two weeks, from June 25 to July 6, registration will be from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Starting July 9, registration hours will be from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Full report here.