Contact: David Weaver, 240-777-6530

For Immediate Release: December 3, 1999

Duncan Signs
Domestic Partner Legislation

Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan today signed into law a bill which extends health benefits to a County employee's domestic partner and the partner's dependents. The legislation goes into effect on March 2, 2000.

"I commend the County Council, and especially, Council Member Derick Berlage for passing this bill ," said Duncan. "This is an equity issue, and I am pleased that passage of this legislation means that Montgomery County will no longer discriminate against same-sex partners and will offer all of its employees the same benefits package."

The bill provides health, leave and death benefits to the live-in partners of homosexual county employees. The bill would require the County to also provide benefits equivalent to those the County must provide to spouses under COBRA (continuation of health insurance after employment), the Family and Medical Leave Act, and other federal laws. The legislation establishes requirements for proving that a domestic partnership exists to qualify for employee benefits.

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