(WHAS11) - It’s been a controversy for two years, and Thursday was no exception.  A bill that would bar state universities from offering health insurance to the partners of gay and lesbian employees created more fireworks in Frankfort. 

Conservative supporters of a ban of domestic partner benefits at universities knew their bill was in big trouble before a house committee.  What they didn’t expect was a rare public outburst and scolding from one lawmaker.

For the past two years, the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky have been letting gay, lesbian and single employees include their live in partners on their university health insurance policies.  Conservative state lawmakers accused the schools of thumbing their noses at Kentucky’s ban on gay marriages.  So they tried to take another step toward banning the practice Thursday in Frankfort.

The bill failed on a 9-6 vote:

University of Louisville president Jim Ramsey has said a ban would hurt the university’s ability to compete for top flight researchers.  And he says decisions about health insurance should be made by universities, not lawmakers.  A spokesman says the University of Louisville is pleased with the house health and welfare committee’s decision to kill the bill, and so are gay rights advocates.