Moritz Law Library

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)

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Research Guides: Same-Sex Marriage Laws

State-by-State Summary