House rejects ban on universities' domestic partners health insurance
21 03 08 - 11:11
FRANKFORT, Ky. -- A House committee yesterday killed a Senate bill that would bar state universities and other public agencies from providing health insurance for domestic partners of employees.
The Health and Welfare Committee voted 9 to 6 to reject Senate Bill 112 -- but not before committee member David Watkins, D-Henderson, delivered a tongue-lashing to the bill's sponsor, Sen. Vernie McGaha, R-Russell Springs.
Watkins, a family physician, called the measure divisive and said the Senate is ignoring the state's biggest health problems, including smoking, obesity and a lack of adequate mental health services for its citizens.
"I am tired of the same petty issues coming before us when we've got major issues to address," he said.
Watkins also chided David Edmunds, who represented The Family Foundation, a bill supporter, at the hearing yesterday, for not being more concerned with larger health issues facing Kentucky families.
Afterward, McGaha vowed to bring the bill back next year if it can't be salvaged this year. And he criticized Watkins for scolding him and the foundation.
'Sanctity of marriage'
McGaha said his concern is the "sanctity of marriage" and said he was offended by Watkins' comments.
"Dr. Watkins is totally off-base," McGaha said. "He is a disgrace to the process we have here."
Edmunds said he found Watkins' comments interesting and said his foundation is involved in other family issues such as education.
But the apparent demise of the bill pleased its opponents, including the Kentucky Fairness Alliance. A spokesman said it discriminates against all unmarried couples -- not just gays and lesbians.
"We are very pleased that for the second year in a row, this committee has defeated a divisive attempt to meddle in the affairs of our university employees," said Wes Wright, legislative director for the alliance.
Sen. Ernesto Scorsone, D-Lexington, who is gay, had opposed the bill in the Senate and said he was pleased with the outcome.
"I think most Kentuckians believe if you are able to pay for the insurance you ought to be able to buy it," Scorsone said. "I really do think it's a great victory for fairness."
Spokesmen for the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville yesterday said the committee's decision was appropriate. The decisions since 2006 by the universities to let employees purchase health insurance for their domestic partners triggered legislative efforts to ban the policy.
"We've always hoped we would be able to maintain flexibility with respect to setting health-care benefits for our employees," UK spokesman Jay Blanton said.
U of L spokesman John Drees said the decision is one "best left to the universities' respective boards of trustees."
Scorsone had denounced SB 112 as "gay-bashing" when the Senate approved it in January.
Bill attacked
McGaha denied that yesterday and said his concern is upholding the constitutional amendment the legislature passed in 2004 to ban same-sex marriages.
"It's not gay-bashing," he said. "The purpose of my bill is to comply with the marriage amendment."
After the vote, Edmunds criticized the committee for blocking SB 112.
"If this domestic partner bill had gone to the full floor of the House, it would have passed," he said.
The vote on SB 112 came largely along party lines, with Democrats Bob Damron of Nicholasville and John Arnold of Sturgis voting with four Republicans for the bill. The nine Democrats who voted no included Rep. Kathy Stein, D-Lexington and a longtime opponent of the measure, who snapped "of course not" when asked for her vote on the bill.
Reporter Deborah Yetter can be reached at (502) 582-4228.