Kissimmee commission to consider domestic partner benefits

Sometime this month, an item allowing Kissimmee city employees to purchase health benefits for their domestic partners will appear before commissioners.

According to Mayor Pro-Tem Cheryl Grieb, who proposed the change, city staff is still working out some policy details but the plan is for the commission to consider the proposal at either its March 9 or March 16 meeting. Grieb said those policy details include carrying over a current policy that doesn’t allow spouses to supervise each other and deciding whether the children of domestic partners may be covered as well.

“There are no costs to the city but maybe some ancillary costs because city employees will process the applications,” Grieb said.

She said she’ has also heard some concerns that if people are added who have a lot of health issues, the city’s premiums could go up. Grieb pointed out that adding healthy people could make the premiums go down.

Grieb said most of the feedback she’s received has been positive. However, at least some are against the change. A group of protestors led by an assistant pastor of a Buenaventura Lakes evangelical church stood in front of the Kissimmee City Hall Feb. 23 with signs stating its opposition to the proposal.