Arizona appeals to allow state to drop gay partners healthcare

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said a federal appeals panel “got it wrong” and is again appealing a court ruling that same-sex partners of state government workers are entitled to the same health care benefits provided to opposite-sex couples.

On Sept. 6, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco upheld a temporary block on a controversial 2009 state law that sought to eliminate health coverage for gay and lesbian domestic partners of Arizona state employees.

The three-member appeals panel said such a law would go against the long-standing constitutional right to equal protection, but now Brewer wants the Court to have a larger panel review the issue.

Legal papers submitted on the governor’s behalf contend that a three-judge panel of the same court got it wrong when it concluded that it is illegal discrimination to provide health care and other benefits to the partners of married workers while refusing to do the same for same-sex couples.

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