By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-958956.mp3
LANSING, MI –
Republican leaders in the state House are trying to muster the votes to reverse the policy that will allow unmarried state workers to claim live-in partners on their health benefits. As we hear from Michigan Public Radio's Rick Pluta, it's the only way the state can offer benefits that cover people in same-sex relationships.
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An independent employment commission approved live-in partner benefits as a way to offer health coverage to gay and lesbian couples and still comply with the 2004 amendment banning gay marriage and civil unions.
Jay Kaplan of the American Civil Liberties Union says that's how many public universities, cities, school districts and businesses have designed benefit packages to make sure they cover employees in same-sex relationships.
"They do the same job and so why should they receive a different rate of compensation because of the fact of what constitutes their family makeup?," she asks.
But Governor Rick Snyder and Republicans say it that would just cost too much during a budget crisis. House GOP leaders need to recruit almost a dozen Democrats to reach the two-thirds super-majority required to reverse the policy.