Cleveland to offer domestic partner benefits

Cleveland will provide health coverage for gay partners of city employees, under a measure approved by the city council. The registry gives people in domestic partnerships a way of officially declaring their relationships as proof for health insurance and other benefits typically reserved for married couples. Columbus, OH began offering domestic partner benefits to its workers last year. Same-sex couples are eligible if they put their names on the city’s domestic partner registry before May 1. Employees not on the registry must pay nearly $8,000 a year to add their partners. City officials estimate that 15 couples qualify for the new benefits, potentially costing the city more than $101,000.

[via The AP]