Domestic Partner Benefits

Yesterday, St. Paul became the third municipality in Minnesota to offer a domestic partnership registry. No citizens testified against the measure, and the city council unanimously approved the registry Wednesday afternoon. Mayor Chris Coleman signed the ordinance into law surrounded by LGBT advocates at the St. Paul gay bar, Camp.

LGBT rights activists have reason to celebrate this legislative session as steps — albeit baby ones — were made in the area of LGBT equality. While the majority of more than a dozen bills failed to even make it out of legislative committee, a few found their way to Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s desk, with one bill becoming law.

Same-sex couples residing in Duluth will find it easier to prove their domestic partner status as the Duluth City Council voted on Monday evening to approve a domestic partner registry.

In a letter to Sen. Don Betzhold, DFL-Fridley, and Rep. Phyllis Kahn, DFL-Minneapolis, Gov. Tim Pawlenty said he wouldn’t sign a bill that contained health benefits for same-sex couples. The omnibus state government bill currently being negotiated in conference committee provides domestic partner benefits for state employees. Pawlenty named that the top reason he wouldn’t [...]

Gay Duluth city council member Jeff Anderson is introducing an ordinance that would create a domestic partner registry this year. The registry would allow employers who wish to offer same-sex partner benefits a legal document to work from, much like Minneapolis’.

Legislation that would pave the way for domestic partner benefits for state employees passed a key committee last week. Currently, gay and lesbian state employees are barred from providing state employee benefits for their families, a discrepancy that advocates say puts state government and state colleges and universities at a competitive disadvantage. The bill, HF 1219, passed the House Health Care and Human Services Policy and Oversight Committee by a voice vote.

The same-sex partners of state employees are currently denied the state-paid life insurance and hospital, medical and dental benefits that are currently offered to married state employees, but a bill introduced last week would change that.

“Thank you Gov. Tim Pawlenty,” read a Minnesota Family Council blog post written as the legislative session closed. “You are truly a pro-family governor.” And they have reason to thank him. He worked very closely with them this session.

The Minnesota Family Council, a group affiliated with the anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered rights group Focus [...]

The Minnesota House passed a bill Thursday that would allow local governmental units to offer benefits to employees on whatever basis they see fit. A unique set of Minnesota statutes prohibits municipalities such as towns, cities and counties from providing benefits to anyone other than a spouse or dependent child. The bill would expand existing [...]

The Minnesota Senate passed a municipal domestic partner benefits bill Thursday by a vote of 43-22. The bill is still awaiting a floor vote in the house. Gov. Tim Pawlenty threatened a veto of the bill last year.

Current state statutes limit municipalities from offering employee benefits to anyone who is not a child or a [...]