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Moritz Law  /  Law Library  /  Research Guides  /  Same-Sex Marriage Laws

 

Research Guides: Same-Sex Marriage Laws

State-by-State Summary

This chart summarizes U.S. state laws related to same-sex marriages.

 

State Statutes Limiting Marriage Constitutional Amendments Limiting Marriage Constitutional Amendments Limiting Other Unions States Recognizing Marriage Statutes Recognizing Civil Unions or Domestic Partnerships State Supreme Court Decisions
Alabama

Ala. Code § 30-1-19

 
Ala. Const.  art. I, amend. 774 Ala. Const.  art. I, amend. 774      
Alaska Alaska Stat. § 25.05.011. 25.05.013 Alaska Const. art. I, § 25       State v. Alaska Civil Liberties Union, 122 P.3d 781 (Alaska 2005) (domestic partners of homosexual public employees entitled to same benefits as spouses of heterosexual public employees).
Arizona Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 25-101 Ariz.  Const. art. XXX (passed in 2008)        
Arkansas Ark. Code Ann. § 9-11-109 Ark. Const. amend. 83, § 1 Ark. Const. amend. 83, § 2      
California Cal. Fam. Code § 308.5 (Voided by In re Marriage Cases, 183 P.3d 384 (Cal. 2008)) Cal. Const. art. 1, § 7.5 (initiative measure approved Nov. 4, 2008)   No. In re Marriage Cases, 183 P.3d 384 (Cal. 2008) voided by Cal. Const. art. 1, § 7.5 approved Nov. 4, 2008. Cal. Fam. Code § 297 et seq. (domestic partnership)

In re Marriage Cases, 183 P.3d 384 (Cal. 2008) (statutory provision limiting marriage to heterosexual couples found unconstitutional). Decision voided by Cal. Const. art. 1, § 7.5, approved Nov. 4, 2008.

Strauss v. Horton, 207 P.3d 48 (Cal. 2009) (constitutional amendment found valid); but see Perry v. Schwarzenegger, 704 F. Supp.2d 921 (N.D. Cal. 2010) (Cal Const. art. 1, § 7.5 found to violate due process and equal protection clauses of federal constitution); but see 9th Cir. order granting stay; but see 9th Cir.'s opinion in Perry v. Brown (decided 2/7/12) affirming district court's decision

Colorado Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 14-2-104 Colo. Const. art. I, § 31     SB 11-172 (proposed civil union legislation - passed by senate)  
Connecticut

 

 

   

Yes. Kerrigan vs. Comm'r of Pub.Health, 957 A.2d 407 (Conn. 2008)

Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 46b-20

  Kerrigan vs. Comm'r of Pub.Health, 957 A.2d 407 (Conn. 2008).
D.C.       Yes. D.C. Act 18-248; 57 D.C. Reg. 27 (Jan. 1, 2010) D.C. Code 32-702 (domestic partnership) Dean v. D.C., 653 A.2d 307 (D.C. 1995) (marriage statute prohibits issuance of marriage license to same sex couples)
Delaware Del. Code Ann. tit. 13, § 101       2011 SB 30 (civil union - enacted)  
Florida Fla. Stat. Ann. § 741.212 Fla. Const. art. 1, § 27 (passed in 2008)        
Georgia Ga. Code Ann. § 19-3-3.1 Ga. Const. art. I, § 4, ¶ I

Ga. Const. art. I, § 4, ¶ I

     
Hawaii Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 572-1 No, but Haw. Const. art. I, § 23 authorizes legislature to ban same sex marriage.   (proposed legislation allowing same sex marriage: HI 2009-2010 HB 878)

Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 572C-1 et seq. (domestic partnership)

HI 2011 SB 232 (civil union - enacted)

Baehr v. Lewin, 852 P.2d 44 (Haw. 1993) (Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 572-1 restricts marriage to a male and a female)
Idaho Idaho Code Ann. § 32-201 Idaho Const. art. III, § 28 Idaho Const. art. III, § 28      
Illinois

750 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/212; 750 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/213.1

 

    (proposed legislation allowing same sex marriage: IL 2009 HB 178) IL 2009 SB 1716 (civil union - enacted)  
Indiana Ind. Code Ann. § 31-11-1-1 2011 HJR 6 passed by House and Senate - before effective, amendment must be passed again by subsequently elected House and Senate, and approved by voters in 2014 at the earliest        
Iowa Iowa Code Ann. § 595.2 (found unconstitutional by Varnum v. Brien, 763 N.W.2d 862 (Iowa 2009))
    Yes. Varnum v. Brien, 763 N.W.2d 862 (Iowa 2009)   Varnum v. Brien, 763 N.W.2d 862 (Iowa 2009) (statute limiting marriage to heterosexual couple found unconstitutional)
Kansas Kan. Stat. Ann. § 23-101 Kan. Const. art. 15, § 16

Kan. Const. art. 15, § 16

     
Kentucky Ky. Rev. Stat. ann. § 402.020; Ky. Rev. Stat. ann. § 402.045 Ky. Const. § 233A Ky. Const. § 233A      
Louisiana La. Civ. Code Ann. art. 89 La. Const. art. XII, § 15 La. Const. art. XII, § 15     Forum for Equality PAC v. McKeithen, 893 So.2d 715 (La. 2005) (constitutional amendment did not violate single object rule of state constitution)
Maine       No. PL 2009, c. 82, authorizing same-sex marriage, was repealed by referendum on 11/3/09. Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 22, § 2710 et seq. (domestic partnership)  
Maryland Md. Code Ann., Fam. Law § 2-201     2011 MD SB 116 (proposed legislation - passed in Senate)   Conaway v. Deane, 932 A.2d 571 (Md. 2007) (Upheld statute prohibiting same-sex marriage)
Massachusetts       Yes. Goodridge v. Dept. Public Health, 798 N.E.2d 941 (Mass. 2003)  

Goodridge v. Dept. Public Health, 798 N.E.2d 941 (Mass. 2003)(Limitation of benefits of marriage to heterosexuals violated state constitutional equal protection principles)

In re Opinions of the Justices to the Senate, 802 N.E.2d 565 (Mass. 2004) (Proposed bill granting same sex couples status under a civil union but not marriage found to violate state constitutional due process and equal protection provisions)

Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 551.1 Mich. Const. art. I, § 25 Mich. Const. art. I, § 25     National Pride at Work, Inc. v. Governor, 748 N.W.2d 524 (Mich 2008) (Constitutional amendment on marriage prohibits public employers from providing health insurance benefits to non-married couples)
Minnesota

Minn. Stat. § 517.01

Minn. Stat. § 517.03

2011 SB 1308 (passed by House and Senate for appearance on Nov. 2012 ballot)   (proposed legislation allowing same sex marriage: MN 2009-2010 SB 2145)   Baker v. Nelson, 191 N.W.2d 185 (Minn. 1971) (Marriage statute does not authorize marriage between same sex couples)
Mississippi Miss. Code. Ann. § 93-1-1 Miss. Const. art. XIV, § 263A        
Missouri Mo. Rev. Stat. § 451.022 Mo. Const. art. I, § 33        
Montana Mont. Code Ann. § 40-1-401 Mont. Const. art. XIII, § 7        
Nebraska   Neb. Const. art. I, § 29; But Citizens for Equal Protection, Inc. v. Bruning, 368 F.Supp.2d 980 (2005) (Held art. I, § 29 unconstitutional) Neb. Const. art. I, § 29      
Nevada

Nev. Rev. Stat. § 122.020

Nev. Const. art. I, § 21     Nev. Rev. Stat. § 122A.010 et seq. (domestic partnership)  
New Hampshire       Yes. N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 457:1-a    
New Jersey       2012 NJ SB 1 (proposed) N.J. Stat. Ann. § 37:1-28 et seq. (civil union) Lewis v. Harris, 908 A.2d 196 (N.J. 2005) (Requires legislature to provide same-sex couples the same rights and benefits enjoyed by married opposite-sex couples)
New Mexico            
New York      

Yes. A8354-2011 (enacted)

  Hernandez v. Robles, 855 N.E.2d 1 (N.Y. 2006) (found interpretation of marriage statute as prohibiting same sex marriage valid and constitutional)
North Carolina N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 51-1; N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 51-1.2

2011 SB 514 (to be on ballot in May 2012)

       
North Dakota N.D. Cent. Code § 14-03-01 N.D. Const. art. XI, § 28 N.D. Const. art. XI, § 28      
Ohio Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3101.01 Ohio Const. art. XV, § 11 (held unconstitutional by Phelps v. Johnson, No. DV05 305642, 2005 WL 4651081 (Ohio Com.Pl. 2005) Ohio Const. art. XV, § 11      
Oklahoma Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 43, § 3.1 Okla. Const. art. 2, § 35 Okla. Const. art. 2, § 35      
Oregon   Or. Const. art. XV, §5a     Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 107.615 (domestic partnership) Li v. State, 110 P.3d 91 (Or. 2005) (Marriage limited to opposite sex couples)
Pennsylvania 23 Pa Cons. Stat. § 1704          
Rhode Island         2011 HB 6103 (civil union - enacted)  
South Carolina S.C. Code Ann. § 20-1-15 S.C. Const. art. XVII, § 15 S.C. Const. art. XVII, § 15      
South Dakota S.D. Codified Laws § 25-1-38 S.D. Const. art. XXI, § 9 S.D. Const. art. XXI, § 9      
Tennessee Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-3-113 Tenn. Const. art. XI, § 18        
Texas Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 2.001 Tex. Const. art. I, § 32 Tex. Const. art. I, § 32      
Utah Utah Code Ann. § 30-1-4.1; Utah Code Ann. § 30-1-2 Utah Const. art. I, § 29 Utah Const. art. I, § 29      
Vermont      

Yes. Vt. Stat. Ann. tit 15, § 8

Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 15, § 1201 et seq.; Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 18, § 5160 et seq.

(civil union)

Baker v. State, 744 A.2d 864 (Vt. 1999) (Exclusion of same-sex couples from benefits of marriage violated state constitution's common benefits clause)
Virginia Va. Code Ann. § 20-45.2; Va. Code Ann. § 20-45.3 Va. Const. art. I, § 15-A Va. Const. art. I, § 15-A      
Washington

Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 26.04.020

 

   

SB 6239 (proposed legislation allowing same-sex marriage) - passed House and Senate, awaiting governor's signature

Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 26.60.010 et seq. (domestic partnership)

(Proposed legislation repealing domestic partnership: 2009 WA HB 1980)

Anderson v. King Cnty, 138 P.3d 963 (Wash. 2006) (Upheld statute prohibiting same-sex marriage)
West Virginia W. Va. Code Ann. § 48-2-603          
Wisconsin Wis. Stat. ann. § 765.04   Wis. Const. art. XIII, § 13 Wis. Const. art. XIII, § 13      
Wyoming Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 20-1-101 2011 SJ 0005 (proposed - passed by senate)