The city of Springfield could soon offer benefits to the civil union partners of city workers.
Those benefits are not currently available, even though the state of Illinois began recognizing civil unions more than a year ago. A city panel’s vote to offer the benefits was overturned because the vote was improperly taken in closed session.
Now Mayor Mike Houston says new ordinances will be introduced in the next few days to reshape that health insurance oversight panel so that it complies with the law. That group of ordinances will also create the policy on benefits for civil union partners.
Houston hopes to have the new rules implemented early next year. No city workers are currently seeking benefits for civil union partners, according to Houston.
