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Collegedale first city in Tennessee to offer same-sex benefits

530 views · Published 27 June 2013 · 0:46 · Indexed 6 November 2026

Channel: chattanooga times free press · 2013 · News & Politics

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Collegedale is poised to become the first city in Tennessee to offer benefits to same-sex partners.

City commissioners have voted 4-1 to extend employee benefits to domestic partnerships. Now its up for city leaders to approve the change in August.

And Collegedale's not alone -- a spokeswoman says Chattanooga mayor Andy Berke wants to weigh the issue as well.

While Tennessee doesn't recognize same-sex marriage, municipalities have the power to decide whether to cover employees' domestic partnerships.
And it looks like same-sex advocates are making gains in Tennessee. Six years after a constitutional ban on gay marriage passed the Legislature, nearly half of Tennesseans now support gay marriage or civil unions.

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