Wisconsin AG says domestic partner benefits safe despite ban

In one of her last official acts before the end of the year and before her time in office ends, outgoing Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager said that the constitutional ban on same-sex marriage – approved by 59 percent of voters last month – does not prohibit public or private employers from providing domestic partner benefits to their employees and their partners. More on the six-page opinion released Wednesday can be found here. Newly-elected AG J.B. Van Hollen takes office Wednesday. Though Van Hollen supported the ban, it is widely believed he will not redo Lautenschlager's opinion, sought by the City of Madison, which affords domestic partner benefits to its employees.