Arizona is close
to offering health and other benefits to domestic
partners of state employees, both gay and straight,
according to a story in The Arizona Republic.
The change in
policy, supported by Gov. Janet Napolitano, would apply to
about 65,000 current employees of the state government and
public universities as well as about 9,000 retirees
covered by the state's health plan.
"It's something that most of the other private
corporations and large cities are doing, and
it's time state government started doing it,"
Tim Nelson, general counsel to the governor, told the
Republic. "It's something the governor
believes strongly is the right thing to do."
State Department
of Administration director Bill Bell filed the proposal
for domestic-partner benefits November 7 with the secretary
of state's office. It was published Friday
along with the secretary of state's registry of
proposed rules.
Citizens are
likely to have less than 30 days to comment on the proposed
change, after which a hearing will be scheduled. The
governor's six-member Regulatory Review Council
will make the final decision on the plan.
Arizona senate
majority leader Thayer Verschoor, a Republican, described
the plan as a "slippery slope" toward
government acceptance on variations of traditional
marriage.
"I think
it's going to be met with a lot of
resistance," he told the Republic. (The
Advocate)
