Early this morning, the Dane County Board of Supervisors voted 25-9 to create a countywide domestic partner registry and to require that county contractors offer the same health and other benefits to domestic partners of their employees, as they offer to spouses. Ordinance Amendment 13, introduced by Supervisors Chuck Erickson and Kyle Richmond and Board Chair Scott McDonell, makes Dane County the first county in Wisconsin to enact such an ordinance. This ordinance covers all qualified domestic partners, but is particularly important to many lesbian and gay couples who could not otherwise obtain health coverage for their loved one. This ordinance sends a strong signal because it moves our state in the right direction in recognizing the need for legal protections of all families.
Fair Wisconsin strongly supported the passage of this fair-minded legislation. In addition to covering the domestic partner of employees of county contractors, it also provides the governmental registration required by many other employers who already offer domestic partner coverage ( Madison 's registry applies to Madison residents only).
It is important to note that this ordinance only requires equal treatment. It does not mandate domestic partner coverage if an employer does not offer spousal benefits. It doesn't increase benefits, it only includes in an existing plan those who have been unfairly left out in the past.
In addition to health benefits, the ordinance also covers any other plan, program or policy offered as part of the employer's total compensation package, including bereavement leave, family medical leave, sick leave, disability insurance, life insurance, membership discounts, moving expenses, pension and retirement benefits and travel benefits. An employer also has the option to provide a "cash equivalent" if it is practically unable to provide the actual benefit.
I hope you will join me in celebrating this victory for the cause of fairness, in the hopes that it is only the first step to achieving equality for ALL of Wisconsin families.
