Three Small Steps Toward Equality

Lobbyist for Outfront Minnesota, C. Scott Cooper told me yesterday at the Capitol that there are three bills of interest coming to legislative committees in the next two weeks. There's the Municipal Health Benefits bill that allows cities to offer same-sex partner benefits to their employees. Then there's a Hospital Visitation bill that allows you to designate next of kin for visitation purposes, including your same-sex spouse. I don't know how that works if you're unconscious. And, there is a Domestic Partner Benefits bill for state workers that would allow state workers to designate a same-sex spouse as a dependent on there benefits plan. This would remove the issue of domestic partner benefits from the uncertainty of labor contract negotiations and embed it in statute.

So, sometime in the next couple of weeks would be a good time to contact your elected representatives and let them know you support these measures. A legislative staffer told me yesterday that they are getting a lot of calls in favor of the Municipal Health Benefits bill, already.