We've got another great issue of the LAHR newsletter for download. To view the March issue, click here, or click on the image to the left. As always, this issue is packed with great articles and information.

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The Ingham County Commissioners are debating how to respond to Proposal 2, the 2004 anti same sex marriage Michigan Constitutional amendment and to court rulings that this amendment prohibits health care benefits for same sex partners. Ingham County employees have had domestic partner coverage for several years. A lawsuit on the issue health care for domestic partners is pending before the Michigan Supreme Court.

The county believes it has to act now to discontinue the current benefits. February 28th had been proposed as the last date for the benefits. Other organizations such as U of M have amended their health care plans to broaden the definition of who is eligible in order to comply with the court rulings. These changes still allow same sex couple to have the health care.

On Jan 15th and Jan 16th LAHR and LAHR PAC spoke before the General Services Committee, and the Finance Committee of the Ingham County Commission. Penny Gardner, President of the two organizations, spoke in favor of the Commission writing criteria to continue offering employees of the county Domestic Partner Health Care benefits including same sex couples.

Members of both committees assured the public that it was their intention that these benefits be continued. The Finance Committee passed a resolution to discontinue the current domestic partner benefits on July 31st (longer than the proposed deadline of February 28th) to give the county enough time to create criteria that did not include marriage. That resolution will go to the full Commission and discussion will continue on what happens after July 31st.

Quilts and Human Rights - MSU Museum
January 15 - August 24, 2008

"Quilts and Human Rights" is an exhibition exploring the role that quiltmakers have played in raising awareness of human rights issues around the world and the power of textiles to communicate important ideas and information. The exhibition will feature inspiring and often provocative quilts made to document and express transgressions of human rights, to educate others about human rights issues, and to pay tribute to leaders of human rights movements. A special component of the exhibition is being developed in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha, South Africa and will focus on human rights champions Rosa Parks and Nelson Mandela. (source of text: MSU Museum website)

To lean more, visit the musuem's website: http://museum.msu.edu/Exhibitions/Current/
quilts_and_human_rights.html