by Stephen Koranda, KHI News Service
The state of Kansas is changing its stance on health insurance benefits for same-sex spouses of state employees.
Previously, members of Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration had declined to change state policies, saying they were still studying the Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage.
Sara Belfry is a spokesperson with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which manages state employee health insurance.
“After legal review of the Supreme Court decision, we have started accepting applications for same-sex spouses of state employees to be eligible for the state employee health plan,” she said Tuesday.
Belfry said there’s a special one-month open enrollment period for same-sex spouses to apply for health benefits. She said state officials continue to study changes in other areas, such as Medicaid health care benefits.
Later Tuesday, Brownback issued an executive order on religious liberty. It prohibits state government from taking discriminatory action against any “individual clergy or religious leader” or “religious organization” that chooses not to participate in a same-sex marriage.
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