Domestic Partner Insurance

Posted by Lisa Nichols Feb 19, 2007

Senate Bill 152, banning most Kentucky government entities from offering health insurance to employee partners, passed the senate last week.The bill prevents same sex couples from sharing health insurance benefits and blocks health benefits to the unadopted grandchildren, siblings and parents of employees, even if the employee has custody of the relative. Senate Bill 152 includes universities, local schools and most public agencies.

Last year the University of Louisville voted to provide employee benefits to unmarried couples. University of Louisville President James Ramsey argued against the bill, protesting that other schools offer same sex benefits. Without partner insurance, explains Ramsey, U of L can’t compete with other schools in hiring talented and diverse researchers and professors.

Though the argument for the bill seems to imply too much liability exposure, University of Louisville has had only eight employees enroll partners in the employee benefit plan since the beginning of the year."The intent of the bill is to protect marriage and protect the family structure," McGaha, R-Russell Springs, told reporters.

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