Gay Marriage

Gay marriage, or same-sex marriage, refers to the legal, social, or religiously recognized matrimonial union of a couple who are of the same gender. Due to the controversy surrounding same sex couples, such unions are often called "civil unions" in legal context.

With Governor John Lynch's signature, New Hampshire became the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage on June 3, 2009. The new law is a revision of a bill that failed to pass the state legislature weeks earlier. The bill signed by Lynch contains legal protections for religious groups that are opposed to gay unions.New York Times: New Hampshire Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

On November 4, 2008, voters in California passed Proposition 8, which placed a statewide ban on same-sex marriage. The measure was approved by 52 percent of the voting public. While the bill was upheld by federal judges a few months later, a lawsuit was filed against the state of California by a gay couple and a lesbian couple. The plaintiffs claimed that the bill violated their rights by denying them the right to marry while granting it exclusively to straight people.http://abcnews.go.com/WN/gay-rights-groups-seek-overturn-proposition-californias-ban/story?id=9531747

On August 4, 2010, U.S. Chief District Judge Vaughn Walker issued a ruling in the case stating that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional. In his ruling, Walker said "Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite-sex couples are superior to same-sex couples." The case is expected to eventually be heard by the United States Supreme Court.http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/california-gay-marriage-ruling-due-appeal-expected/story?id=11322255

On May 31, 2009, the Nevada state senate voted a bill into law that would give same-sex and unmarried couples partnership rights similar to those granted by the state to married couples. The Nevada state senate was able to muster enough votes to override a veto by the state's Republican Governor Jim Gibbons.http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/us/01nevada.html?ref=global-home

On May 19, 2009, a bill that would have made the state of New Hampshire the sixth state to allow gay marriage was rejected by a slim vote of 188-186 in the state house of representatives.http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN2050926720090520 However, a revised bill was passed and promptly signed by Governor John Lynch on June 3. The revision provides legal protections for religious groups opposed to gay marriage.

On April 3, 2009, Iowa's Supreme Court unanimously decided that "limiting civil marriage to a union between a man and a woman violates the equal protection clause of the Iowa Constitution." Gay marriage will be legal in Iowa beginning on April 24, 2009.http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090403/NEWS/90403010

On April 7, 2009, Vermont became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Vermont's Senate voted to override Governor Jim Douglas' veto of the gay marriage legislation.http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090407/NEWS03/90407016

On May 6, 2009, Maine Governor John Baldacci signed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage less than an hour after the state legislature had given their approval. As long as it is not overturned during a 30-day Congressional review period, the law is to take effect in mid-September 2009.http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/06/maine.same.sex.marriage/

A civil union is a legal partnership similar to a marriage. Because of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, civil unions, domestic partnerships, and same-sex couples do not have the same rights that a married couple has under federal law. As of 2008, the following U.S. states had civil union or domestic partnership rights similar to marriage: Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire and Oregon.

The Washington State legislature passed a bill to expand benefits for same-sex and unmarried senior couples on April 15, 2009. The bill expands rights and benefits in a variety of ways, but stops short of granting marriage to same-sex couples. The bill passed on a vote of 62-35 and is expected to be signed in to law by Washington state governor Chris Gregoire.http://www.startribune.com/nation/43065982.html?elr=KArks:DCiUMEaPc:UiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders in Boston, Massachusetts filed an anti-discrimination lawsuit against the federal government on March 3, 2009, saying that the federal Defense of Marriage Act makes married homosexual couples ineligible to file joint tax returns and results in same-sex couples paying more in taxes than heterosexual married couples. The group also contends that the Defense of Marriage Act is discriminatory because it denies married same-sex couple benefits such as health insurance and pensions.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/03/married-same-sex-couples_n_171299.html

During a speech at the National Press Club on June 1, 2009, former Vice President Dick Cheney said that he supports the legalization of gay marriage, providing it is decided by individual states rather than the federal government.http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/06/01/cheney_comes_out_for_gay_marri.html?wprss=44