HRC Back Story

In another step forward for same-sex relationship recognition, Nevada's Public Employees' Benefits Program (PEBP) board, the group that oversees the state's employee health insurance plan, voted yesterday to extend domestic partnership benefits to both opposite- and same-sex couples.

The board will also request that the governor and state legislature expand a popular insurance subsidy, currently offered to married families, to domestic partners and their children. The expansion - and it's $3 million price tag - will have to be approved by the Legislature before it can go into effect (Las Vegas Review-Journal):

The expansion of the health care plan to cover domestic partners is not expected to take effect until the 2009-10 fiscal year.

Leslie Johnstone, executive officer of the program, said officials will need several months to draft regulations for the new policy.

The rules for the policy, referred to as providing health benefits to reciprocal beneficiaries, must win approval from the Legislative Commission before they can take effect.

It is unlikely the work could be done in time for the 2008-09 fiscal year, Johnstone said.

And because the Legislature would have to approve the cost of expanding the health insurance subsidy to domestic partners, it could not become available until the 2009-10 year, Johnstone said.

Still, this is a good win for HRC's local Steering Committee as they have worked diligently over the past couple of years with the PEBP and others to offer domestic partner benefits to Nevada's families.

Georgie Aguirre-Sacasa, our regional field director, will be heading out to Nevada on Sunday to mobilize and engage our members in the January 19th presidential caucus. Georgie will also be representing HRC at the MSNBC Democratic presidential debate on "Hispanic-African American Issues" in Las Vegas on January 15th.  We also hear that there's a pre-caucus rally in the works and will keep you posted on the details...

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UPDATE:

HRC, Stonewall Democrats of Southern Nevada and The LGBT Center of Southern Nevada will host a rally on January 18, the eve of the Nevada presidential caucus, at the Clark County Government Center from 5 - 7 pm. Nevada Assemblymember David Parks, Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani, and others will be special guest speakers. Here's an image of the invite: