ANSWERS: 2
  • # * Massachusetts On May 17, 2004 Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage. * New Jersey On October 25, 2006, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that New Jersey must allow same-sex couples to marry. # U.S. States that allow same-sex partnerships or civil unions: * California California provides domestic partnership benefits. The state legislature successfully voted in favor of legal gay marriage in California, only to be vetoed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In March, 2005, a San Francisco judge ruled that the law banning same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. * Connecticut Although Connecticut defines marriage as between a man and woman, it became the second U.S. state to grant same-sex civil unions in April, 2005. * New Hampshere In April of 2007, the New Hampshire House of Representatives passed a civil unions bill that give gay couples nearly the same rights as married couples. The Senate is expected to sign the bill and the Governor has agreed to sign it into law. * Oregon The State House and Senate passed a domestic partnership law that grants same-sex couples many of the rights of marriage as well as a bill that protects gays and lesbians against discrimination. * Vermont The first U.S. state to offer same-sex civil unions in 2000. Learn about Vermont civil unions. * Washington In April of 2007, the Washington State legislature passed a domestic partnership bill providing legal benefits to same-sex couples.
  • Massachusetts Connecticut Iowa Vermont (goes into effect September 2009) Maine New Hampshire, New York and New Jersey have bills actively moving through their legislatures that would give marriage licenses to same-sex couples. New York and Rhode Island currently both recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. The District of Columbia voted a few days ago to join them. California has quite a few legally married same-sex couples who got married during the relatively brief window between their Supreme Court's ordering an end to the ban on same-sex marriage and the electorate's passage of a referendum to reinstate the ban. Resolution of their status, and of the referendum, is pending in the State Supreme Court. This is current as of May 7, 2009 -- but the list seems to be changing/growing daily.

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