Watkins upbraided McGaha after he explained his controversial bill from the witness table in the committee room. Watkins told McGaha he was tired of senators sending "petty, divisive issues" over to the House for a vote. The Henderson democrat raised his voice in asking Senator McGaha if he understood the division his bill was causing in the House, Senate and among Kentuckians. Watkins also scolded McGaha telling him he was elected to "help the people, not hurt us." And he angrily asked McGaha why he wasn't helping pass Watkins' proposal to raise the cigarette tax to help cure Kentucky's health care woes. McGaha seemed taken aback by Watkins' diatribe, telling the doctor that his domestic partner ban is a bill "I feel deeply about." And McGaha said he wouldn't question Watkins' support for a cigarette tax so Watkins shouldn't question his support for the domestic partner bill. The bill failed on a 9-6 vote. McGaha says he expected the measure to die in the Health and Welfare Committee so there wouldn't be an attempt to pass a discharge petition and get it to the House floor. McGaha says the bill to ban domestic partner benefits at universities will overwhelmingly pass the full House.

Meanwhile, a WHAS11/Survey USA poll taken Thursday shows a majority of Kentuckians don't think state universities should offer health insurance to the same-sex partners of school employees. By a 57%-38% margin, respondents said universities shouldn't offer those benefits. The only subgroups who said universities should offer the same-sex benefits were folks who identified themselves as "black" or "liberal."