January 10, 2012
(SPRINGFIELD)
Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, at 312-520-4919 or
Randy Hannig, Director of Public Policy of Equality Illinois, at 773-477-7173
EQUALITY ILLINOIS APPLAUDS SPRINGFIELD COMMUNITY FOR ENCOURAGING PUBLIC EMPLOYEE SPOUSAL BENEFITS
Equality Illinois, the state's oldest and largest organization advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality, issued the following statement in response to Springfield’s Joint Labor and Management Health Care Committee’s unanimous decision to reverse its earlier ruling and allow spousal health insurance benefits for city employees in a civil union:
“We commend the LGBT community and our allies in Springfield for speaking out in favor of equal treatment for each and every couple,” Randy Hannig, Jr., Director of Public Policy for Equality Illinois, said. “In the end, nearly 150 Springfield residents signed our petition urging the mayor and the Joint Labor and Management Health Care Committee to do the right thing and not discriminate against couples in a civil union.
Because of the community’s support, along with the leadership of Mayor Houston and Alderman Cory Jobe, the committee made the right decision in the end to reaffirm Illinois’ civil union law that explicitly states that all benefits available to couples in a marriage must be available to couples in a civil union.”
Equality Illinois was founded in 1991 to secure, protect and defend full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. It is the state’s oldest and largest LGBT advocacy organization.
www.EqualityIllinois.Org
