WINSTON-SALEM (AP) — Winston-Salem officials say they’ll wait for a court ruling on the state’s new constitutional amendment defining marriage before giving any further consideration to offering domestic partner benefits.
The Winston-Salem Journal reported that city officials say the amendment throws into question their authority to offer those benefits. The amendment passed last week and defines marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman.
City attorney Angela Carmon said the city should wait for a court ruling before deciding whether to extend domestic partner benefits to city employees.
For the past year, Winston-Salem officials have considered offering the benefits as part of a larger discussion about how to lower health insurance costs.