Three GLBT bills pass in committee!

Three bills to improve the lives of GLBT people have moved forward in the Minnesota legislature: Safe Schools for All; Domestic Partner Benefits for State Employees; and Medical Agent protections.

Safe Schools
The Safe Schools for All bill passed the Senate Education Committee yesterday. It now goes to the floor. This bill would ensure anti-bullying and harassment protections for GLBT and other youth in our schools.
The bill awaits a hearing in the house.

Student Andy Berlin testified for this bill - and had a commentary published in yesterday's Star Tribune

Domestic partner benefits for state employees
The House Health and Human Services committee passed a bill to re-establish these benefits for state employees. Domestic partner benefits for state employees existed for a short while several years ago, only to be withdrawn by the legislature. This is a very positive vote - GLBT employees should be afforded the same benefits package as all employees. This bill now advances to another committee.

Minnesota Independent domestic partner benefits story

Medical agent protections
The House Civil Justice committee has approved a bill to provide protections for GLBT people who have a designated medical agent. The bill enables medical agents to receive medical information about a hospitalized patient who's chosen that person as their agent. A medical agent does not have to be a domestic partner or family member, but any person the patient has chosen. The implications for the GLBT community, however, are significant since current law provides automatic medical agent protections for spouses, but not for same-sex couples.

The bill also enables medical agents to receive information that could be used in wrongful death lawsuits. This bill now advances to another committee.