Arizona lawmakers seek to strip domestic partners of health coverage

[ccharles000]

Arizona lawmakers are moving to take away health insurance coverage for the domestic partners of state and university employees. These rights were gained by domestic partners only one year ago.

About 750 workers would be affected says the Department of Administration. If put into affect, the state budget would define “dependents” of state employees who are entitled to coverage as a spouse or a child younger than 19, or younger than 23 if a full-time student.

Then-Gov. Janet Napolitano added domestic partners and their children to the list of those covered last year, a decision which was opposed by Senate Majority Whip Pamela Gorman, (R-Anthem). Gorman believes such decisions should be left to state lawmakers.

Current Gov. Jan Brewer opposed granting unmarried domestic partners equal benefits that were given to married couples in a questionnaire she filled out in 2006 for the Center for Arizona Policy.

Members of LGBT advocacy groups, such as Barbara McCullough-Jones of Equality Arizona, are figuring out how best to fight such a decision.

“This particular benefit is critical because it is doing exactly what society asks us to do, and that’s to take care and be responsible for our families,” McCullough-Jones said.

http://www.365gay.com/news/arizona-lawmakers-seek-to-strip-domestic-partners-of-health-coverage/

[ccharles000]

1. kick

[Vinca]

2. One more reason for single payer.