I am strongly in favor of the proposed change--which would allow state employees the option of paying, with their own dollars, for health coverage for another adult in their household.  As the economy worsens, more and more people are losing jobs--the proposed change would allow some of those jobless individuals to retain access to good quality health care.

It is also a step toward providing a just balance between gay couples who seek to take care of one another and Virginia's current majority, which is not ready to acknowledge gay relationships as equivalent to marriage.  The proposed change does not recognize "gay marriage"--it recognizes that lots of people (children caring for parents, parents caring for adult children, friends helping one another out) either need or are willing to provide support for others in a household.

Yes, gay people would benefit--I may benefit.  But gay people benefit when our city's pick up the trash or shovel the snow from our streets--and we still provide those services.  Don't let the desire to with-hold benefits from gay couples keep them away from everyone.