A legislative subcommittee approved a regulation 3-2 that would add domestic partner benefits to the state employee health care package, including benefits for partners of the same sex.

The measure will be up for debate at the next legislative session in February. The eight words "including benefits for partners of the same sex" are sure to infuriate social conservatives, and the $4 million price tag is sure to infuriate fiscal conservatives.

None of this will really matter, because Gov. Jim Gibbons (R-Sparks) has already said that he is not going to add to the already ginormous budget deficit by expanding any programs.