San Francisco's Board of Supervisors voted to give health benefits to city workers' domestic partners - gay or heterosexual, married or not.
"We are finally recognizing the legitimacy of lesbian and gay families, and the impulse that we have just as all others have, to protect our loved ones," Supervisor Roberta Achtenberg said after the 11-0 vote Monday.The board will take a final vote May 13. Mayor Art Agnos has said he will approve the measure.
San Francisco has 47,300 people in its health plan. A mayoral task force found that about 1,000 heterosexual and 1,000 homosexual partners would be added.
An additional 1,350 children would also be eligible, including about 800 children in gay families.
City workers who add their partners and children to the health plan will pay the same rate as municipal employees who include spouses. The city expects to pay about $2 million more a year for its share of the expanded coverage.
Seattle, Berkeley, Santa Cruz, Laguna Beach and West Hollywood have similar laws.
All health care providers that contract with the city have agreed to change, according to Agnos' office.