Heidi, you are correct in part. The Equal Benefits Ordinance in Minneapolis was the first in the country, to my knowledge, to require contractors to offer domestic partner benefits without regard to whether they are same or opposite sex partners. Similiar ordinances in San Francisco and New York City only applied to same sex partners. I'm not sure about the state Equal Benefits Ordinance in the state of California, but I believe it may also be limited to same sex partners even though to registration as domestic partners under California law is not limited to same sex partners.
I outlined the other important changes which occurred in terms of the domestic partner registry, housing ordinances, reciprocity, the equal benefits ordinance and nondiscrimination in fees in relation to domestic partners vis a vis married couples. I have no idea what Doug was speaking of as benefits for public employees were not on the table at the city this year as current state law doesn't allow the city to offer such benefits. I think he may have been confusing the effort to include domestic partner benefits for same sex partners for state public employees in union contracts for public employees a few years ago under the Jesse Ventura administration with the current discussion. Those contracts did exclude different sex partners from recieving domestic partnership benefits presumably on the basis that different sex couples could recieve benefits if they got married which is denied to same sex couples. David Strand Loring Park --- Heidi Quezada <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Doug Mann claimed that Council Member Gary Schiff > "mentioned something > about a domestic partners ordinance". First, Council > Member Schiff did not > mention the domestic partners ordinace, rather he > mentioned the Minneapolis > Equal Benefits Ordinance. > Second, Mr. Mann claimed that this was thrown out > by the courts and accuses > the author, Council Member Gary Schiff of a "cynical > ploy" in claiming > credit to get votes from the gay community. (!) > > Talk about cynical! The Minneapolis EBO was not > thrown out by the courts. > It's alive and well. Companies that bid on city > contracts check a box on bid > forms saying that they provide equal benefits to > partners of employees in > same-sex relationships. > > This ordinance was co-authored by Benson and > Lilligren. > Heidi Quezada > Field Director, Neighbors for Gary Schiff > Standish > REMINDERS: > 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at > http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a > member is in violation, contact the list manager at > [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: > http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: > http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused > Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: > http://e-democracy.org/mpls > __________________________________ Yahoo! FareChase: Search multiple travel sites in one click. http://farechase.yahoo.com REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
