PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Mayor Luke Ravenstahl signed Legislation creating a new domestic partner registry in the city of Pittsburgh.

The mayor signed the measure Saturday during the city's Gay Pride Parade downtown.

"We're going to continue to look for ways to make sure that Pittsburgh is a progressive city - a city that's growing and a city that can be America's most livable city, for everybody," Ravenstahl said.

The measure allows straight or gay couples who are city residents to gain official recognition of their relationships and to use the registration as criteria for sharing benefits.

Couples must pay $25 and provide proof of relationship in order to be part of the registry. If one member of the relationship is a city employee, then the couple will become eligible to share benefits. The city has long offered benefits to domestic partners of it employees. Other employers could use registration as a criteria for sharing benefits but will not have to do so.

City Council gave final approval June 17 to create a registry of couples that are unmarried but declare and prove a mutual commitment. Councilman Bruce Kraus and President Doug Shields wrote the legislation.

Registrations will be taken by the City's Personnel Department in the City-County Building downtown.