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(Richmond, Virginia) Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner has signed legislation allowing insurers and businesses to extend health-insurance coverage to same-sex couples. It becomes effective July 1.
Under the new law an insurer and employer would be free to decide who would be covered under a group accident and sickness insurance policy.
"[It] provides a long-overdue option to Virginia businesses," said Warner. "It allows private employers to extend group accident and sickness coverage to any class of persons agreed upon by the insurer and the group policyholder."
Many of the self-insured Fortune 500 companies in Virginia took "this important step years ago," Warner said. "All Virginia businesses should be able to decide what benefits they wish to offer in order to be as competitive as possible in recruiting employees."
The legislation had been pushed by a coalition of gay-rights organizations and business fearing that a myriad of other Virginia laws that are anti-gay family would discourage corporations from relocating in the state.
The measure was sponsored by Sen. Janet D. Howell (D-Fairfax) was approved by a one vote margin in the House after passing the Senate.
A number of businesses, including the Virginia Chamber of Commerce lobbied for its passage, saying that without benefits Virginia was losing out on many talented people.
Virginia has some of the most anti-gay legislation in the country. Last month, the legislature passed a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.
The amendment would bar gays and lesbians from marrying and forbid the state from permitting civil unions or domestic partnerships.
It must be approved by voters in a general election.
A proposed ban on gay adoption was defeated in the legislature last week.
©365Gay.com 2005
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