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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, S168047 (Cal. May 26, 2009) (constitutional amendment found valid)

Colorado Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 14-2-104 Colo. Const. art. I, § 31        
Connecticut

Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 45a -727a

 

   

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

Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 45a -727a, Amended by CT 2009 SB 899 (April 2009) .

Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 46b-38aa et seq. (civil union) Kerrigan vs. Comm'r of Pub.Health, 957 A.2d 407 (Conn. 2008).
D.C.         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          
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) 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)    
Indiana Ind. Code Ann. § 31-11-1-1          
Iowa Iowa Code Ann. § 595.2 (found unconstitutional by Varnum v. Brien, 07-1499 (S. Ct. Iowa, Apr. 3, 2009))
    Yes. Varnum v. Brien, 07-1499 (S. Ct. Iowa, Apr. 3, 2009))   Varnum v. Brien, 07-1499 (S. Ct. Iowa, Apr. 3, 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 (Found that 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     (proposed legislation allowing same sex marriage: MD 2009 SB 565)   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. Ann. § 517.01; Minn. Stat. Ann. § 517.03

 

    (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     NV 2009 SB 283 (Enrolled June 1, 2009, effective October 1, 2009)  
New Hampshire N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 457:1 et seq.       N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 457-A:1 et seq. (civil union)  
New Jersey         N.J. Stat. Ann. § 37:1-28 et seq. (civil union), N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:8A-1 et seq. (domestic partnership) Lewis v. Harris, 908 A.2d 196 (N.J. 2006) (Requires legislature to provide same-sex couples the same rights and benefits enjoyed by married opposite-sex couples)
New Mexico            
New York           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          
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. Ann. § 1704          
Rhode Island            
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 Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 15, § 8     Yes. S. 115, recognizing civil marriage between same sex couples, enacted April 7, 2009

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

 

    (Proposed legislation allowing same-sex marriage: 2009 WA HB 1745)

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