LANSING -- A Republican plan to stop an extension of state-paid health insurance to same-sex partners and others adults living with a state employee has failed.
In January, the Michigan Civil Service Commission made the decision to extend the benefits. Governor Rick Snyder has been concerned of the cost, and even the president of the commission voted against the measure. In an earlier NBC25 interview, Thomas Wardrop told us that, “After last year taking away a three percent wage increase for the non-union employees, and with the current budget crunch, I could not vote to extend benefits to non-state employees, because if we don't have the money to pay state employees, why would we incur more cost to insure non-state employees.”
The Associated Press reports that, “a resolution that would reject the extension of benefits did not get enough votes to pass with the required two-thirds majority in the Republican-led Michigan House on Thursday. The measure got 66 votes - eight short of the 74 needed.” Therefore, the extension of benefits still stands.
