A close friend of the family, who works for Wayne State University in Detroit, and her partner just posted the following over on Facebook:
In an email received today, 12/22/11, day of least light in the year, I received at 6:33 pm the following:
Dear Colleagues,
As you may have heard in the press, Governor Snyder today signed House Bill 4770, which “prevents a public employer from providing medical or other fringe benefits to certain unrelated individuals who reside with public employees.”
In his communications, the Governor stated that higher education institutions are exempt from this law due to their constitutional autonomy. While we support this position, many members of the legislature and administration may disagree, and feel the law should apply to us. Based on our analysis, however, we believe we may lawfully provide benefits, as we have in the past, and plan to do so.
In a letter to the Governor earlier this month, we voiced our strong support of providing domestic partner benefits, particularly during this tenuous economic recovery, as a means of recruiting and retaining educated and talented employees.
We will keep you informed as we learn more.
Allan Gilmour,
President
On the one hand, fuck Rick Snyder.
In the past few days he's signed laws that effectively open the Michigan public school system up to rampant privatization via uncapped, unregulated charter schools; that make a mockery of the democratic process by overturning fairly-drawn county commission districts that have already been ruled in favor of by the courts; and now this homophobic bill that denies benefits to same-sex partners of public employees.
On the other hand, I guess everyone's supposed to be grateful that he threw out a bone for state universities to continue providing benefits. Yes, it's great news for my friend and her partner, and good on Wayne State for doing so, but how far have things fallen that this development is supposed to be considered amazingly good news?
"I hereby decree that several hundred thousand people will have their personal financial situations shattered for no other reason than a bunch of bigoted assholes trying to feel big by screwing them over. HOWEVER, I further decree that a sub-portion of those people might not have to be subjected to this disaster if their employers deign them worthy."
I guess this is Snyder in his festive, holiday spirit mood.
Anyway, congrats to WSU employees: You've survived the latest onslaught...for now.