As a long-term resident of Virginia and a former employee of a Virginia higher education institution, I strongly support the proposal for state employees to elect to cover either a spouse or an "otherwise qualified adult" living in their household on their state health insurance plan. 

 

The ability for such an option would certainly lead me -- and, I am sure, many others -- to consider employment for Virginia state agencies and higher education institutions. This is something I am currently hesitant to consider when approximately 60% of the Fortune 500 companies offer such expanded benefits to their employees -- including such Virginia-based ones as Capital One, CarMax, Gannett, SprintNextel, and Sallie Mae.

 

I look forward to seeing this proposal move forward and help make Virginia employment competitive against national corporations and higher education institutions in other states.