Health & Fitness
County Extends Health Care Benefits to Same-Sex Couples
The decision comes one month after an arbitrator ruled the county must grant benefits to same-sex partners of police officers.

Baltimore County will offer health care benefits to same-sex couples who were legally married in other states.
The announcement Thursday comes nearly one month after an to the same-sex partners of police officers. The ruling applies to couples who were legally married in other states.
Currently, same-sex marriage is not legal in Maryland. The state also does not currently recognize those marriages that are performed in other states.
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The county will begin offering the benefits on Jan. 1, 2012 after the change was approved earlier this week by the county's Health Care Review Committee, according to a statement released Thursday.
"I am pleased that the Health Care Review Committee acted on my recommendation this week. Extending these benefits to couples legally married in other states is the right thing to do," County Executive Kevin Kamenetz said in the statement.
Find out what's happening in Towsonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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