May 30, 2003 – DPB UPDATE

UA OUTReach met with our ASU LGBT constituents and Senator Ken Cheuvront (D) in Phoenix on Wednesday, May 28, to discuss domestic partner benefits, DPB, for university employees.

Senator Cheuvront feels that the definition of dependent is at the discretion of the Arizona Department of Administration, ADOA, and that modifications may be made to the definition without legislative approval.

Cheuvront informs us that Governor Napolitano has directed ADOA to review and revise state employment policies during the 2^nd & 3^rd quarters of 2003. There may be an opportunity to revise dependent definitions for health care benefit purposes.

Governor Napolitano is going to issue an Executive Order to include sexual identification in a non-discrimination policy for state employees. This order is expected in summer 2003.

Senator Cheuvront is calling a meeting with theTri-University presidents in the next few weeks to update and advise them on DPB issues. He will be in touch with the ADOA Benefits Director as well as the HR Executive Directors of ASU, UA and NAU.

We are grateful to Senator Cheuvront for taking a lead in centralizing the communications on these issues. At this time we do not feel that UA Administration is going to move forward on our request for DPB. It has been a long and disconcerting journey for the universities.

We will continue to seek audience with the Governor in July 2003 to state our case and support her efforts in implementing DPB for state employees.