NEWS FLASH

Springfield, Illinois Reverses Decision, Reinstates Civil Union Partner Benefits | LGBT advocates have convinced the Springfield, Illinois Joint Labor/Management Insurance Committee to unanimously reinstate health benefits for the civil union partners of city employees, a complete reversal of its December decision cutting the benefits because they were too costly. The committee had previously reported cost estimates for the benefits nearing $750,000, but the revised estimate for the six affected couples was mysteriously less than 10 percent of that: $66,000. The unexplainable numbers aside, the reversal is an important win for the elected officials and grassroots organizing that protested the original decision. (HT: Chicago Phoenix.)