Yesterday, the Dane County Board approved an ordinance aimed at increasing the number of companies offering domestic partnership benefits in the area.  Companies contracting with the county will be required to offer domestic partnership benefits at a level equal to spousal benefits. (Companies not offering spousal benefits will not be affected.)   

The new law will provide for the creation of a county domestic partnership registry, which will allow the county to validate domestic partnerships of both heterosexual and same-sex couples. Using this registry, the county will be able to ensure companies it does business with are providing the same insurance privileges to same-sex couples as married couples.

The board’s decision is the right one, and it is heartening to see that Dane County is doing its part to remedy the unfortunate vote two years ago that banned same-sex marriage and civil unions in Wisconsin via an amendment to the state constitution.  

At the time, we opposed the Wisconsin Marriage Protection Amendment, and we continue to look forward to the day when such discrimination is removed from our state’s most important legal document. Until that time, however, local efforts to extend to same-sex couples the rights they deserve can work as a vital stimulus to the statewide and nationwide movement for equality.