Court: Arizona same-sex partners entitled to benefits

SAN FRANCISCO - A federal appeals court says same-sex partners of Arizona government workers are entitled to the same health care benefits provided to opposite-sex couples.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld the blocking of a state law that would have terminated health-insurance eligibility for same-sex partners of state workers.

"There are just things that are right and wrong. And denying healthcare coverage to people just because they are a member of an unpopular group is just wrong. You don't have to be a legal scholar to figure that out," said plaintiff's attorney Daniel Barr.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer in September 2009 signed a law repealing the same-sex benefits granted in 2008. A group of gay and lesbian state workers filed a lawsuit two months later, and a federal judge blocked the law from taking effect, ruling that it appeared to be unconstitutional.

Over the past couple years, Carrie Sperling has had a lot to worry about; her job, her parents, and the possibility of losing the healthcare coverage she and her domestic partner Sue share working for the state of Arizona.

"I think a lot of Americans can understand the whole fear and uncertainty of never knowing when your insurance is going to be ripped away from you," Sperling said.

Sperling can put that fear to rest for now. A three-judge appeals court panel agreed with the lower court's decision, ruling that denying same-sex partners the benefits would violate equal protection provisions of the Constitution.

"Certainly the state was hoping to come away from this ruling victorious, but this is the 9th Circuit we're talking about,” Governor Brewer’s spokesman Matthew Benson said. “This ruling is sort of standard fare for them. There's a reason [the 9th Circuit] is the most overturned court in the country."

The Governor's Office will be studying a ruling before deciding whether or not to appeal the courts ruling.