As expected, the Utah Public Employee Health Program has asked a 3rd District judge to rule on whether Salt Lake City can provide health insurance coverage for employees' adult designees. In its court filing this week, PEHP says Utah's Defense of Marriage Act and its similar constitutional amendment are vague on the matter. Judge Stephen Roth is being asked to decide whether offering designee benefits creates relationships that are substantially equivalent to marriage, which would be forbidden by Utah law. The Salt Lake City Council created the benefits plan last month. It allows unmarried employees to add designees to their health plans. The two must live together and be financially independent. They can include roommates, relatives or domestic partners. PEHP attorney David Hansen said in an e-mail that his client "hopes to receive a quick decision so that it can assist the city in implementing its benefits if allowed to do so." - Heather May