Domestic Partner Benefits Violate Constitution?

I found an article on The Texas Tribune relating to one of my previous posts Deciding who gets insurance benefits. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott wrote an opinion that stated local jurisdictions that offer these benefits "have created and recognized something not established by Texas law." That something he is referring to is domestic partnerships. He states that it is barred by the state constitution. Republican Rep. Drew Springer's HB 1568, has made it through house committee and is waiting to be voted on in the full chamber. This bill will revoke the authorization and withhold funding from any Texas school districts that allow their employees to add a domestic partner to their healthcare plan.

In my opinion I feel that they are saying the school districts are trying to represent marriage by allowing these benefits when I believe they are just simply deciding who gets health insurance. I mean its not like a health insurance policy is saying that these people are married! And to not fund a school simply because of who they choose to cover on their health insurance policy is absurd! As I stated in my previous post this does not only affect gay Americans, but it also affects straight families who have decided a piece of paper doesn't define their relationship. So they have to have separate health insurance because they aren't "legally married?" This is just making it harder for people who may not be able to afford paying for insurance on their own. If this bill makes it through the full chamber maybe we definitely need to amend the state constitution, but that's another whole story.



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AG: Domestic Partner Benefits Violate Constitution

Sonogram Law

These are my thoughts on the post written by Gypsy King about the sonogram law.

While reading this post it immediately struck a chord with me. While I personally agree with most of what my classmate is saying, there are things about this law I support. I agree that there are many reasons why a woman chooses to have an abortion but like the post says there are women who use abortion as a form of birth control. I feel like maybe we should limit this law to women who have had more than a certain amount of abortions. I feel like these women need to take more precautions instead of constantly getting themselves in this same position. Maybe I am biased because I am completely against abortions but at the same time I believe in the right to women's privacy and what they choose to do with their own bodies. I believe that not everyone should be required to do this before having an abortion but in reality there are many women who do need this law. I agree that the goal should be to limit the number of unwanted pregnancies and maybe this law will help that.

Deciding who gets insurance benefits.

According to the Austin American Statesman, starting September 1st, the Austin Independent School District will offer health insurance benefits to domestic partners, which will include same-sex couples.

The Austin Independent School District will be the second school district in the state to offer health coverage to unmarried straight or gay couples. Austin School Superintendent Meria Carstarphen is the woman who is behind these changes in getting expanded health benefits in the district's 2013-2014 budget.

I personally believe this is a good idea and a step in the right direction. Not only is it taking a step in the direction of same sex marriages in Texas but there are also many people who have been in long-term relationships with their significant other and are not married and some prefer to not be married. In Texas this is called Common Law Marriage. This is very common in Texas and if these people have children together, are living together, and paying bills together who are we to say that they shouldn't be able to carry one or the other on their insurance policy? I myself have personally been in this situation and understand this situation all too well.

I also believe this is a good move for the Austin Independent School District because it will help bring the district an even more broader range of top quality employees and teachers who are looking for this particular benefit that they couldn't acquire somewhere else.

According to the Statesman, the district estimates that about 350 people would be added to its insurance plan under "expanded benefits," which would cost about $600,000 a year. The Austin district employs 12,000 employees.

The University of Texas, and Texas A&M University are pending legislation permitting the universities to offer expanded insurance benefits.

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Deciding who gets health insurance should be left to local communities.