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Local News

Governor Has No Plans to Extend Benefits Statewide

In his monthly press conference, Utah Governor Jon Huntsman said he is not considering offering health benefits to the state’s unmarried workers, as Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson has done in the capital city.
      “I have no plans on issuing an executive order of my own,” he said in the Sept. 22 conference hosted by KUED Television.
      His stated reason, when pressed, was that the state needs to address the escalating costs of existing benefits to state workers before addressing expanding those benefits to unmarried couples. “It really comes down to cost, and what I want to get right are the costs that are now on the table associated with benefits that we’re making available to all of our employees,” Huntsman said. “We’re still working hard on getting that dimension right.”
      He said he believes Anderson’s executive order has many “legal hurdles” to clear before it can take effect. He, however, will not be leading any charge to place more of those hurdles in the way. “I’m not going to launch any legal effort of my own,” he said.
      He noted that it is the job of the Utah Attorney General to decide what the state will challenge in court.—MA

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