THE GOVERNMENT TAKE ON BENEFITS
Here are more statistics about domestic partner benefits that show how domestic partner benefits have fared in the public sector.

• Eleven states provide domestic partner benefits for public employees. So do 128 counties around the country, according to the A.F.L.-C.I.O. – The New York Times

• Seven states prohibit discrimination in private sector employment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity — California, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Washington, plus the District of Columbia. Three states — Illinois, Maine and Washington — joined the list since Jan. 1, 2005. Ten additional states ban workplace discrimination exclusively on sexual orientation.

• In 2005, Montana became the 13th state to extend domestic partner benefits to state employees. The state was joined by 16 local municipalities. As of June 1, 2006, a total of 201 cities and counties granted equal benefits to employees' partners.

• As of August 2005, about 30,000 people had registered with the State of California as domestic partners.