Missouri Fire Department Settles Same-Sex Benefits Lawsuit

A small southwest Missouri fire department has settled a lawsuit with the American Civil Liberties Union and a former fire captain who was seeking benefits for her same-sex wife.

Fire Capt. Andi Mooneyham and the ACLU sued the Ozark Fire Protection District over its refusal to put her wife on its insurance plan.

The ACLU said in a news release the fire district agreed to pay Mooneyham $20,000. The lawsuit was dismissed.

The Springfield News-Leader reports after Mooneyham sought the benefits in 2014, an attorney told the Ozark Fire Board said it couldn’t extend benefits to same-sex couples because Missouri’s constitution said marriage was only between a man and a woman. The ACLU then became involved in the case.

Moonyham no longer works for the fire protection district.