Domestic Partnership Bill to be Introduced Thursday

State Senator Linda Higgins (DFL, SD58) will be introducing a bill by week’s end that would allow Minnesota municipalities to extend domestic partnership benefits to partners of municipal employees. Current Minnesota law does not allow municipalities that option.

In 1995, the City of Minneapolis was sued by a Minneapolis resident arguing that the city had exceeded its authority by offering domestic partnerships for city employees in same-sex relationships. Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled that neither Minneapolis nor any municipality in Minnesota could extend domestic partner benefits because of Minn. Stat. § 471.61 which states that municipalities could only extend benefits to employees, employees’ spouses, and employees’ dependent children. The resident who sued Minneapolis, and ended domestic partnerships statewide was Jim Lilly. Jim Lilly was the Republican candidate that unsuccessfully challenged Higgins’ seat in November.

The bill to be introduced on Thursday will likely amend Minn. Stat. § 471.61 to include same-sex partners of employees, and provide local municipalities the option to provide their employees’ partners with benefits.

Updated: Introduction of this bill will happen later than reported as the author seeks co-sponsors. The introduction will not be Thursday.