User:Mimich/Sandbox 1

Laws permitting civil unions or domestic partnerships Same sex marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships prohibited]]

M? Same sex marriage allowed soon ? U Civil Union when same sex marriage not allowed P Domestic partnership when same sex marriage not allowed No state law banning same sex marriage (however, judicial or executive rulings prevent same sex marriage) State law banning same sex marriage State law banning same sex marriage and civil unions Amendment bans same-sex marriage Amendment bans same-sex marriage and civil unions Bans gay marriage, civil unions, and any marriage-like contract between unmarried persons]]

Same-sex unions have been on the political radar in the United States since the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled in 1993 that denying licenses to same-sex partners violated the Hawaii constitution unless there is a "compelling state interest." In 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Lawrence v. Texas paved the way for same-sex marriage to emerge as a hot-button political issue. Since Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage in 2004, other states have rushed to either restrict or liberalize their own marriage laws.

This article tracks the status of those laws. It is intended only as a resource for the bottom line current legal status of same-sex unions right now regardless of pending litigation. See same-sex marriage legislation in the United States for the outcome of specific legislation and same-sex marriage legislation in the United States by state for detailed descriptions.

Marriage is defined as the union of one man and one woman in at least 42 states. Currently, 27 states have added defense of marriage amendments to their constitutions. There is one state that recognizes same-sex marriages, and a total of six (plus the District of Columbia) that recognize some form of same-sex civil unions or domestic partnerships.

State-by-state listing
Below is the status of the law in each of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. AS OF 23 April 2007‎ !
 * The Marriage Defined column tells whether that state contains any statutes or constitutional language that defines marriage as between a man and a woman or otherwise bans same-sex marriages.
 * The Constitution sub-column gives links to the constitutionnal amendment story, if existing.
 * The Statute leads to the corresponding section of Same-sex marriage legislation in the United States by state to afford full legislation about constitution and statutes. (Under construction, if not afforded, see HRC and Domawatch links below that page).
 * The other links (licences - Civil unions status - domestic partnership status - provides for appropriate page denominations according to marriage - civil unions - domeptic partnership and shows the existing pages if the link is active. Civil unions denomination is left in the plural form because it is the rule used for other countries (see Category:Marriage, unions and partnerships by country below )
 * The details for the marriage recognition (Recogn.) are to be find with the marriage licence link when active. Since a constitutionnal ban is potentially for a quite long term, I have merged the marriage licence and recognition in such case for relevant states.
 * Def. means constitutionnal definition amendment for the corresponding unions or partnership. When it happens to be the same constitutionnal definition amendment as the link in the Marriage Defined - Constitution column, I have merged the Def. and Status column. Otherwise another link is proposed to the other relevant amendment in the Def. column in relevant cases.
 * The blue squares show what is allowed and green ones, potential changes in nearby future.
 * The notes column gives better detail and recent possibilities.

In General

 * Same-sex marriage
 * Timeline of same-sex marriage

In USA

 * Same-sex marriage in the United States
 * Same-sex marriage in the United States public opinion
 * Same-sex marriage legislation in the United States
 * Same-sex marriage legislation in the United States by state
 * Same-sex marriage status in the United States by state !!!!!!!! effacer lien dans la page définitive !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 * List of benefits of marriage in the United States
 * Defense of Marriage Act
 * Marriage Protection Act
 * Defense of marriage amendment
 * Federal Marriage Amendment
 * Domestic partnerships in the United States
 * Freedom to Marry Coalition

Timetable of same-sex marriage enforcements
Same-sex marriage has been legally in force since:


 * April 1 2001 : Netherlands - 1st Nation to allow it nationwide
 * June 1 2003 : Belgium - 2nd Nation to allow it nationwide
 * June 10, 2003 : Canada - province of Ontario
 * July 8, 2003 : Canada - province of British Columbia
 * March 19, 2004 : Canada - province of Quebec since
 * May 17, 2004 : USA - Commonwealth of Massachusetts
 * July 14, 2004 : Canada - Yukon territory
 * September 16, 2004 : Canada - province of Manitoba
 * September 24, 2004 : Canada - province of Nova Scotia
 * November 5, 2004 : Canada - province of Saskatchewan
 * December 21, 2004 : Canada - province of Newfoundland and Labrador
 * June 23, 2005 : Canada - province of New Brunswick
 * July 3, 2005 : Spain - 3rd Nation to allow it nationwide
 * July 20, 2005 : Canada - 4th Nation to allow it nationwide
 * => July 20, 2005 Canada - province of Alberta
 * => July 20, 2005 Canada - province of Prince Edward Island
 * => July 20, 2005 Canada - Nunavut territory
 * => July 20, 2005 Canada - Northwest Territories
 * December 1, 2006 : South Africa - 5th Nation to allow it nationwide

RHODE ISLAND LEGISLATURE
House Bill No.5356  {LC775/1} by Crowley (D), Coderre E (D), Shanley (D), Lally (D), Jackson (D) = C.U. Anti-M ENTITLED : AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS -- CIVIL UNIONS (create a law to authorize civil unions including the requirements, procedures and dissolution thereof) Marriage = man + woman !! February 07 2007 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary

House Bill No.5643  {LC1995/1} by  McManus (R), Ajello (D), Story (R)  = C.U. paraM ENTITLED : AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS (provide for civil unions in Rhode Island) February 28 2007 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary

House Bill No.6081  {LC709/1} by  Handy (D), Fox (D), Ajello (D), Gemma (D), Almeida (D) = Pro-M ENTITLED : AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS -- PERSONS ELIGIBLE TO MARRY (broaden the definition of persons eligible to marry to include persons of the same gender/also provide that members of the clergy would not be required to officiate at any particular marriage) March 01 2007 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary

House Bill No.6159 {LC2610/1} by San Bento (D), Corvese (D), Palumbo (D), Brien (D), Melo (D) = Anti-M ENTITLED : AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS -- PERSONS ELIGIBLE TO MARRY March 14 2007 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary