Domestic partner health insurance included in state budget

Gov. Jim Doyle today (June 29) signed into law a state budget authorizing the offering of health insurance benefits to same- and opposite-sex domestic partnerships. In addition, the budget authorizes the creation of a same-sex domestic partner registry.

The news is the culmination of years of hard work on the UW–Madison campus, according to Steve Stern, vice provost for faculty and staff programs. The ability to offer such benefits is of major importance for the university’s efforts to recruit and retain talented faculty and staff, as well as an issue of equity.

Students, faculty and staff from all quarters of the university community worked together to highlight the importance of these benefits.

“We are delighted that health insurance for domestic partners of our employees has been signed into law, in time to take effect in January 2010,” Stern says. “We’re grateful to everyone who worked hard to make our workplace fair and competitive.”

Stern and other members of the university task force on domestic partner health insurance will evaluate specific details of Doyle’s plans and will begin preparing for implementation.

Additional information, including detailed FAQs about signing up for benefits, will be posted as they become available.