During his final year in office, Gov. Bill Richardson will try again to get the New Mexico Legislature to pass a bill establishing domestic partnerships, an aide confirmed Tuesday.

Eric Witt, Richardson's legislative liaison, said the bill will be introduced in the regular 30-day session of the Legislature, which convenes in January to deal primarily with financial matters.

The only nonfinancial matters that can be considered during the short session must be included on the governor's call.

Linda Siegle, lobbyist for Equality New Mexico, a gay and lesbian rights organization, said Tuesday that advocates have been meeting with a representative of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in an effort to come up with legislation that wouldn't draw opposition from the Roman Catholic Church.

"I think it's contingent on a successful conversation with the Catholic Church," Siegle said of the proposal to extend to unmarried couples a legal standing more like that of married couples.

Many on both sides of the debate said it was the opposition of the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops — which in previous years had been neutral on domestic partnerships — that led to the lopsided defeat of a domestic partnership bill in the state Senate earlier this year.

Allen Sanchez, a lobbyist for the bishops, said Tuesday that the bishops will remain open-minded about domestic-partnership legislation but don't want to see it on the governor's call next year. Instead, he said, the issue should wait until the next 60-day session, in 2011.

"There are other issues that are accomplishable," Sanchez said, "and those are what should go on the governor's call."

But Sanchez said the bishops would not openly oppose a bill that "doesn't threaten marriage" and doesn't "set up the state for a lawsuit" that would lead to same-sex marriage. However, he said he's yet to see a bill that would be acceptable to the bishops.

Both Witt and Siegle said drafters in the Legislative Council Service have been busy drafting legislation.

If such a bill is passed, unmarried couples — including same-sex couples — could enter into a contract that would give them many of the rights and responsibilities married couples have under state law.

Opponents claim such legislation would open the door to same-sex marriage.

The issue of domestic partnerships has drawn some of the biggest crowds at legislative hearings. Both supporters and opponents regularly make a big show of force at committee meetings and floor votes on such bills.

In February, a domestic partnership bill failed on a 17-25 vote in the Senate. In that vote, 10 of the 27 Democrats in the Senate joined all 15 Republicans in opposition.

Thirty-day legislative sessions, which occur in even-numbered years, are called "budget sessions" because they are restricted to budget, tax and spending measures plus bills the governor puts on his call. In 60-day sessions, lawmakers can introduce legislation on any subject.

Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com. Read his political blog at roundhouseroundup.com