HARRISBURG -- Two Republican observers will be allowed to watch, but not participate in, a meeting today by the agency that sets benefits for state workers. But a hearing on whether the panel can continue to conduct private meetings won't be held until Tuesday.

House Majority Leader Sam Smith and Appropriations Committee Chairman Brett Feese sued the Pennsylvania Employees Benefit Trust Fund in an effort to stop members from considering extension of health benefits to same-sex partners.

Smith and Feese want an injunction to compel the panel to meet in public. Although a hearing on the request won't come in time for today's meeting -- it's scheduled for Tuesday -- the Rendell Administration agreed to allow two Republican observers to attend today's closed-door session.

Since it began in 1988, the trust fund meetings always have been private.

The panel oversees health benefits for 84,000 state workers, all of whom work in the executive branch under Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell. Not covered by the panel are state police, legislative employees, judiciary workers and the State System of Higher Education.

However, about 5,500 professors employed by the State System of Higher Education's 14 university campuses would be affected because their labor contract pact reached last year says the benefit would be extended to them once other state employees receive it.

Trust fund spokeswoman Christy Leo said the agency's meetings have always been closed to the public and press because "we're not a state agency, we're a health and welfare fund."

State agency or not, the panel receives $900 million a year in state funds for the benefits, according to a lawsuit that Smith and Feese filed against the trust fund board.

And the cost could go up if benefits are extended to domestic partners.

Smith, R-Punxsutawney, and Feese, R-Lycoming, said they'd gotten tips from "multiple sources" this week that the trust fund board might seek to extend health care benefits to domestic partners of state workers, including both same-sex households and households comprised of a man and woman who live together but are not married.

Smith and Feese oppose the expansion of state-funded benefits for "undefined, non-legally recognized relationships," said Smith spokesman Stephen Miskin.

He said the board "is clearly trying to move this [benefits extension] issue forward."

The board is made up of seven appointees by Rendell and seven from state unions. One member is Michael Masch, the state budget director and close Rendell ally. Masch agreed to let two Smith aides attend today's meeting.

Smith will send Ed Nolan, director of the House Appropriations Committee, and Steve Tuckey, general counsel to Smith, the Republican majority leader in the House.