PHOENIX (AP) — State employees in Arizona can take advantage of domestic-partner benefits for the next 12 months even though the Legislature's last budget took them away.
The Department of Administration says the benefit will be available until October 2010, because cutting it before then might put the state in violation of contract laws.
The benefit was to be cut off when the state's insurance plan began Oct. 1, but the budget won't take effect until nearly two months into the contract period.
An opinion by the Attorney General's Office concluded the benefit's elimination during this fiscal year would conflict with employees' expectations.
The administration of former Gov. Janet Napolitano created the benefit through a policy change and won its approval from a board.
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