By Tara Cavanaugh
LANSING-
Republican lawmakers in the Michigan House made a second attempt on April 14 to reverse benefits for live-in partners of state employees. Republicans gained 3 Democratic supporters for a total of 66 votes, but they needed 74 in order to have the two-thirds majority needed to overturn the benefits. The benefits were negotiated https://www.pridesource.com/article.html?article=45312 between state labor unions and the independent Michigan Civil Service Commission in January. In order to reverse the decision, both the state Senate and state House needed to vote with a two-thirds majority. Republicans were able to achieve that majority https://www.pridesource.com/article.html?article=46011 in the Senate in March. But the when the House voted in March, Republicans were unable https://www.pridesource.com/article.html?article=45067 to muster enough votes.
So instead of labeling the measure as defeated, Republicans decided to "pass it temporarily," which meant the vote wasn't recorded and the House could vote on it again. The April 14 vote was the second vote.
House Republicans have until April 18 to vote on overturning the benefits, but the House is not scheduled to meet again until April 21.
Republican response to the failure to overturn the benefits reflected concern over the cost.
"The Civil Service Commission has been incredibly irresponsible, saddling taxpayers with $11 million in additional spending at time when we are dealing with a huge deficit," said House Speaker Jase Bolger, R-Marshall, in a press release http://www.gophouse.com/readarticle.asp?id=7296&District=63. "We have a duty as a state legislature to stand up for taxpayers when this kind of absurd spending spree occurs, and yet, today not even a handful of Democrats were willing to do that."
State Senator Rebekah Warren, D-18, told BTL last month https://www.pridesource.com/article.html?article=48505 that she had heard estimates that the benefits could cost up to $6 million, but "it all depends on how many of our workers choose to participate. We just don't know."
The benefits will take effect for state employees in October. Each state employee will be able to allow one "Other Eligible Adult" to access his or her state health benefits, provided that the OEA has lived with the state employee for more than one year and is not a tenant. The OEA's dependents are also eligible.
Prior to the MCSC's decision in January, former Gov. Jennifer Granholm negotiated same-sex partner benefits with the state employee unions. But in 2008, the state Supreme Court ruled that such benefits, called "domestic partner benefits" or "same-sex partner benefits," were illegal because marriage and any benefits attached to it are restricted to one man and one woman, due to Proposition 2, voted on by Michigan citizens in 2004.
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Senate overturns domestic partner benefits
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