Indianapolis mayor signs off on domestic-partner ordinance

Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard on Thursday afternoon signed off on a proposal to provide health-care benefits to the domestic partners of city workers.

The Indianapolis City-County Council approved the proposal, 20-8, on Aug. 13.

The ordinance offers insurance coverage to both same-sex and heterosexual unmarried couples. Supporters say offering domestic-partner benefits will improve the city's image with many companies already providing such coverage.

The cities of Bloomington and Carmel and some of Indiana's universities provide benefits for employees' same-sex partners.

Council opponents raised concerns about the estimated $200,000 annual cost for the city and moral implications.

Ballard didn’t officially acknowledge the signing of the domestic-partner ordinance. But he posted on his Twitter account Thursday that “I just signed all 33 ordinances and resolutions passed last week by the City-County Council.”