Gay marriage ban stirs worries for businesses

[davidinalameda]

Testimony on a proposed same-sex marriage ban Wednesday left some lawmakers concerned that the measure would keep employers from offering domestic partner health benefits and hurt their ability to attract gay candidates.

Supporters said such benefits would be unaffected, but representatives of Eli Lilly and Co. and Cummins told the Senate Judiciary Committee that they fear the constitutional amendment banning anything "substantially similar to marriage" could apply to health plans for unmarried couples.

"If a company like that wants to offer that benefit to those individuals," said Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette, "I want to at least make sure we have those out there in the 21st century."

The committee is expected to vote next week on the ban, which passed the House last month 70-26. If the proposal clears the Senate, a separately elected legislature would have to approve it, and so would voters, which could happen in 2014 at the earliest.

this is a new twist and one that may just work in our favor

http://www.indystar.com/article/20110317/NEWS05/103170397/Gay-marriage-ban-stirs-worries-businesses?odyssey=mod_sectionstories

[RKP5637]

1. Another state to put on my list to dump. Never did want to go there/live there anyway, won't

even visit people I know there.

[bengalherder]

3. I know a lot of people from that state.

They live on the West Coast now.

(I should talk, I'm from the IL faction of the the great 80's diaspora/braindrain)

[William769]

2. When will people finally get it?

It's not about just marriage it's about all GLBT rights.