Rocky's benefits plan hits first snag (Salt Lake City's domestic partners)

[kweerwolf]

The battle over Salt Lake City's proposed domestic-partner benefits package is arriving sooner than expected - and from an unexpected source.
The city knew a fight may have loomed in the 2006 Legislature this winter over Mayor Rocky Anderson's plan to provide insurance benefits to city employees' gay and unmarried partners.
But the mayor didn't count on what came Tuesday: After months of working with the city to refine the benefits plan, the city's insurance administrator backed down after a state lawmaker called domestic-partner benefits illegal.
The Public Employees Health Program (PEHP) - which also provides benefits to the state, Salt Lake County and dozens of other government bodies - wants a judge to declare domestic-partner benefits legal before moving forward.

http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_3047798