GLAD’s victory stands in the case Bedford and Breen v. New Hampshire Community Technical College System after the state of New Hampshire dropped its appeal. The case involved Patricia Bedford and Anne Breen, two long-time state employees who sought insurance and leave benefits for their same-sex partners and their children.

Bedford, an eleven-year employee of the college system, has been with her partner, Vivian Knezevich, for more than 15 years. They live in Concord with their 4-year-old son Christopher. Breen, who has worked at the college for 18 years, lives in Salisbury with her partner of 29 years, Kathleen Doyle, and their 11-year-old son Matthew.

GLAD won a trial court ruling that denying family benefits to gay and lesbian employees violates New Hampshire’s anti-discrimination laws. The court agreed with GLAD that the state’s use of marriage as a qualifier for benefits amounted to sexual orientation discrimination because same-sex couples cannot marry in New Hampshire.

The state appealed, and the case was set to be heard before the New Hampshire Supreme Court on May 10. But the state withdrew its appeal three days before argument, seemingly influenced by the passage of New Hampshire’s civil union law and a new pending collective bargaining agreement that would extend benefits to same-sex couples.

“We’re thrilled for Patricia and Anne and their families,” said GLAD staff attorney Karen Loewy. “The discrimination that they’ve endured for many years has been acknowledged and will now be addressed. They deserve a tremendous amount of credit for standing up and saying this isn’t right.”