World
CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Arizona governor Jan Brewer recently signed a bill into law that will
rescind health benefits to domestic partners of approximately 800 state
employees.
The policy redefines who a dependent can be, which now excludes
domestic partners, children of domestic partners, disabled adult
dependents, and children of state workers older than 23 years old who
are full-time students.
"At least they're equal-opportunity haters," state representative Kirsten Sinema told Advocate.com on Friday. "It's not just gay people, it's straight people, and disabled people, and unmarried couples."
Out of the 800 involved, Sinema said that same-sex couples do not make up the majority of those affected.
The state pays $3 million to cover domestic partners, in comparison to $625 million to cover other employees and their dependents.
"This was not done to save the state money," Sinema said. "It was done because the current legislature believes that this group of individuals should not have health care provided by the state."
When asked why the governor would sanction such a policy change during difficult economic times, a spokesperson for her office said the line wasn't in her original proposal to the legislature.
"[The] governor's budget proposal was not supported by some Democratic and some Republican legislators," the statement said. "This was in fact a legislative budget proposal, and it was ultimately contained within a piece of budget legislation sent to the governor that had numerous spending items that were critical to state operations."
As recently as September 17, Brewer, who replaced now-secretary of Homeland Defense Janet Napolitano, has been quoted as telling a group of pastors at a Lutheran church that she believed "God has placed" her in "this powerful position" to lead her state. She is also known to suggest that staffers pray on an issue to find solutions, according to the Arizona Star.
The legislation is in legal review to determine when the benefits will change. Sinema said the bill legally cannot go into effect until November 24 -- 90 days after Brewer signed it.
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Here Are Our 2024 Election Predictions. Will They Come True?
November 07 2023 1:46 PM
17 Celebs Who Are Out & Proud of Their Trans & Nonbinary Kids
November 30 2023 10:41 AM
Meet all 37 of the queer women in this season's WNBA
April 17 2024 11:24 AM
Here Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S.
November 01 2023 5:09 PM
Which State Is the Queerest? These Are the States With the Most LGBTQ+ People
December 11 2023 10:00 AM
These 27 Senate Hearing Room Gay Sex Jokes Are Truly Exquisite
December 17 2023 3:33 PM
10 Cheeky and Homoerotic Photos From Bob Mizer's Nude Films
November 18 2023 10:05 PM
42 Flaming Hot Photos From 2024's Australian Firefighters Calendar
November 10 2023 6:08 PM
These Are the 5 States With the Smallest Percentage of LGBTQ+ People
December 13 2023 9:15 AM
Here are the 15 gayest travel destinations in the world: report
March 26 2024 9:23 AM
Watch Now: Advocate Channel
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Trending Stories & News
For more news and videos on advocatechannel.com, click here.
Latest Stories
Trans man Tee Arnold shot to death in Florida
April 17 2024 4:41 PM
Can scientific research on the causes of homosexuality be used against LGBTQ+ people?
April 17 2024 4:02 PM
George Takei releases kids' book about his childhood in internment camp
April 17 2024 3:18 PM
PLUS
ExclusivesTodrick Hall on surviving the rumors and remembering where he came from
April 17 2024 2:33 PM
Pride
Yahoo FeedHow The Pride Store celebrates National Tea Day: A tale of two brews
April 17 2024 2:14 PM
'Parents' Rights' movements forget families have the right to read LGBTQ+ books
April 17 2024 10:15 AM
This gay man had to flee Ghana after a violent attack. He’s finally been granted asylum
April 17 2024 9:17 AM