Public Sector Employers who provide domestic partner benefits:

• Over 200 local governments

• The District of Columbia and the following 16 states offer domestic partner benefits to public employees as of the end of 2008:
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Connecticut
  • Hawaii
  • Illinois
  • Iowa
  • Maine
  • Montana
  • New Mexico
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Oregon
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
  • Washington
    
    
• The Center for American Progress reported in September 2008 that states have had overall good experiences in extending health care benefits to partners of state employees, including uncomplicated implementation of the benefit, minimal costs to the state, and the additional benefit of providing more attractive recruitment for employees. (September 2008 Report by Winnie Stachelberg, Josh Rosenthal, Claire Stein-Ross: One Simple Step For Equality, States prove that the federal government can offer domestic partner benefits with ease)

• Vermont first offered domestic partner health benefits in 1994.
  • Vermont’s health care benefits extend to both same and opposite sex partners.
  • Vermont Department of Human Resources Administrative Services reports that the availability of partner benefits has been advantageous in recruiting employees.
  • Vermont Department of Human Resources Administrative Services reports that there were initial marginal increases in premium costs, but ultimately the inclusion of partner benefits has had no effect on state costs.

• State of New York has provided health benefits to domestic partners since 1995. NY’s health care benefits extend to both same and opposite sex partners.
  • The NY state government currently covers 4,881 domestic partners, and the majority of these are opposite-sex partners.
  • The NY Governor’s Office of Employee Relations reported in September 2008 that the state believes the coverage for partners helps in recruiting employees.

• Connecticut has provided health benefits to domestic partners since 2000.
  • During the first two years partner benefits were available, 0.7 percent of state workers (336 employees) received partner benefits, increasing the cost of state-provided benefits by $825,000 or 0.1 percent of the state’s total benefits cost.
  • Benefits for domestic partners of state employees are eligible for taxation in Connecticut, which contributes to the states’ income tax revenue.

• Iowa has provided health benefits to domestic partners since 2003.
  • State employees are allowed to add a partner to coverage just as an employee would add a spouse, and the cost difference is solely due to having a family plan versus single coverage.
  • 74 employees currently have domestic partner coverage, and the cost is less than 0.5 percent of the $300 million budget for employees insurance and benefits.

• Montana has provided health benefits to domestic partners since 2005.
  • 140 employees have coverage for domestic partners in the state plan, and there has been no noticeable increase in benefit costs to the state, as reported from the Montana Department of Administration.