Michigan
senate urges court to block domestic-partner benefits

The Michigan senate on Thursday approved resolutions urging the Michigan supreme court to block public-sector employers, including state government, from providing health insurance to the partners of gay employees until the court makes a final ruling on the issue. The Republican-controlled senate voted 22-16, mostly along party lines, to pass two resolutions to prevent taxpayer dollars from being spent on domestic-partner benefits until the court reaches a final judgment. The measures are symbolic and do not have the force of law. "If we're really concerned about not disrupting people's lives, we ought to keep the status quo until the court makes a decision," said Sen. Alan Cropsey, a DeWitt Republican who sponsored the measures. A supreme court spokeswoman said the court generally does not comment on pending matters. It's unclear what action, if any, the court could take because the state court of appeals normally weighs in on legal cases before the high court does. An Ingham County judge ruled last month that public universities and governments could provide domestic-partner benefits without violating a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, approved by voters in November. Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat, then said she would ask the state Civil Service Commission to approve domestic-partner benefits for state employees. The benefits had been included in new labor contracts, but Granholm put them on hold while waiting for a court ruling. The Civil Service Commission's next meeting is scheduled for December 13. But the Granholm administration has asked the commission to schedule a special meeting quickly. "We want to be able to be competitive in the workplace to hire the very best employees to work for the state of Michigan," said David Fink, director of the Office of the State Employer. "While some would argue that a change in the law could be disruptive, in the interim individuals who would otherwise be covered by the benefit would be left uninsured." A measure passed last year amended the state constitution to make the union between a man and a woman the only agreement recognized as a marriage "or similar union for any purpose." Those six words led to a fight over benefits for gay couples. Republican attorney general Mike Cox issued an opinion in March saying the measure bars the city of Kalamazoo from providing domestic-partner benefits in future contracts. But 21 gay couples who work for the city of Kalamazoo, several universities, and the state filed a lawsuit challenging Cox's interpretation. Cox plans to appeal the Ingham County judge's ruling, prompting senate Republicans to push the two resolutions asking the state's highest court to "take whatever steps are necessary to maintain the status quo" until it rules. Democratic senator Gilda Jacobs urged her colleagues Thursday to vote against the measures. "We should be celebrating this great state's diversity, not discriminating against certain people," Jacobs said. Twenty Republicans and two Democrats voted for the resolutions. Fourteen Democrats and two Republicans voted against them. The lawmakers breaking ranks were Republicans Shirley Johnson of Troy and Beverly Hammerstrom of Temperance, who voted against the measures, and Democrats Jim Barcia of Bay City and Dennis Olshove of Warren, who voted for them. One of the measures, a concurrent resolution, now heads to the house. (AP)