In July of 2000, the Iowa Board of Regents gave the state’s three public universities permission to treat same-sex partners the same as heterosexual domestic partners when paying health insurance premiums. The Faculty Senate voted in October 2000 to approve this policy, giving faculty and staff at Iowa State a measure of equality in insurance benefits befitting a modern educational institution.

Now it’s time for all state employees to receive the same benefits.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees represents two different union groups at Iowa State: Local 870, the blue collar, technical and security union, and Local 96, the clerical union. These two union groups represent 1,718 ISU employees. AFSCME has 20,000 members across the state, and 8,000 of those members work at the Regents universities in some capacity.

The massive state union is currently negotiating a contract that will take effect in July 2003, and included in that contract is a proposal to add domestic partner insurance benefits to state employee health premiums.

The plan was voted against in previous contracts because of what union members considered to be a prohibitive cost.

But the state of Iowa’s insurance administrator, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, has offered the same type of benefits to different companies in recent years, and now has a better estimate of the cost.

According to local unions, they have managed to make it a no-cost addition, making it more enticing to union workers across the state.

Under the plan, all domestic partners will pay the family premium.

A wrinkle appears in state law, however, in defining same-sex partners. Iowa, like most states, does not recognize same-sex marriage. The union has proposed that both same-sex and different-sex partners be treated like domestic partners.

If the approval process is structured the same way as the faculty and staff policies, the employee will sign an affidavit citing that his or her partner is their domestic partner.

AFSCME union chapters across the state have been voting on their contracts, with the last batch of chapters voting today.

If the proposal for domestic partner insurance benefits is approved, it will take effect on January 1, 2004. According to Human Rights Campaign, 4,446 employers, including colleges, universities and state and local governments, offer health insurance to all domestic partners of their employees.

By joining these ranks, the state of Iowa would join the Iowa State faculty and staff in affirming the right of all state employees to equal health care coverage.

Editorial Board: Cavan Reagan, Amber Billings, Ayrel Clark, Charlie Weaver, Katie List