Minnesota Senate passes domestic partner legislation

The Minnesota Senate passed a municipal domestic partner benefits bill Thursday by a vote of 43-22. The bill is still awaiting a floor vote in the house. Gov. Tim Pawlenty threatened a veto of the bill last year.

Current state statutes limit municipalities from offering employee benefits to anyone who is not a child or a spouse. Minneapolis had offered domestic partner benefits to same-sex partners of city employees in the early 1990s, but those benefits were struck down by the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1996 after Republican activist and North Minneapolis resident Jim Lilly sued the city.

The current bill would add "and others as defined by governmental units at their discretion" to the state definition of dependents. If signed into law, it would allow municipalities the local control they need to determine who they will cover in their employment benefits plans.

"This bill provides local governments the opportunity to increase family security," said Monica Meyer, public policy director at OutFront Minnesota. "It's a common sense solution to the real problems facing today's families including that of securing health insurance for their loved ones. We deeply appreciate the actions of the Minnesota Senate today."