Vermont
History was made in Vermont. The time was 12:01 am on September 1st, 2009 and standing in front of Justice of the peace Greg Trulson was Bill Slimback and Bob Sullivan, a couple of 17 years from Whitehall, NY. They could not wait another minute to get married, so they didn’t...
Read The Full Article- EnGaygedWeddings exclusive: interview with Vermont Justice of the Peace, Greg Trulson
When did gay marriage go into effect?
Sept. 1, 2009, Vermont is the first state to change their state constitution!
Residency requirement?
None.
Other requirements:
Couples can apply for their license with any town clerk in the state. A license is $45 and valid for 60 days with no mandatory waiting period. No witness is necessary. Under no circumstance can a person under the age of 16 marry. If you are between the ages of 16-18, you must get a signature from a legal guardian or parent.
What about civil unions? In 2000, Vermont, under then-Governor Howard Dean, was the first state to legalize civil unions between same-sex couples. Existing civil unions in Vermont will be recognized, and couples in civil unions will have the option of entering a marriage, but no new civil unions will be permitted in Vermont after Sept. 1, 2009.
MASSACHUSETTS
View Clips From Save The Marriage Movie!
When did gay marriage go into effect?
May 17, 2004
Residency requirement?
No.
On July, 31, 2008, Gov. Deval Patrick signed a law stating same-sex couples can marry in Massachusetts even if they have no intent to reside in the state.
Other requirements:
Couples must be over the age of 18 unless otherwise approved by a judge. Apply for a license -- called a Notice of Intention of Marriage -- at a city or town hall. After three days, couples must go back to the city/town hall to pick up the license and marry within 60 days after filling out the application. A witness is not required. The who marries the couple then sends the appropriately signed license back to the clerk and the marriage is registered with the state. (Couples who can't wait three days can apply for a waiver.)
According to a University of California study, gay and lesbian weddings have boosted the Massachusetts economy by about $111 million. (Guess California voters don't pay attention to University of California studies.)
CONNECTICUT
When did gay marriage go into effect?
On Oct. 10, 2008.
Connecticut became the third state after Massachusetts and California where gay couples could wed. So really the second state.
Residency requirement?
No, but you must get married in the city/town where you obtain the marriage license.
Other requirements:
Pretty much the same as Massachusetts. A couple fills out an application and files for a license (in the town where either partner lives or the town where they wish to get married); they receive the license and must solemnize the marriage within 65 days of filling out the application; the who performs the marriage puts the proper information on the license and sends it back to the clerk of the town where the ceremony occurred; then the clerk registers the marriage and the couple receives a certificate. No witness is required by the state of Connecticut.
The case that made the difference: The decision to legalize gay marriage was the result of a case involving eight gay couples who were tired of being denied marriage licenses and who had all been in relationships between 10-30 years, many having successfully raised children.
IOWA
When did gay marriage go into effect?
On April 27, 2009.
Residency requirement?
None.
Other requirements:
People under 18 need parental consent to marry. As in Massachusetts, there is a mandatory three-day waiting period between filing for a license and receiving the license. You're given six months before you have to have the ceremony. A witness is required at the ceremony.
MAINE
When will gay marriage law go into effect?
Sept. 15, 2009
Residency requirement?
None.
Other requirements:
Couples must declare their "intentions of marriage," a document that has to be signed in front of an authorized to take oaths. That notice, which must include the couples' social security numbers that remain confidential, has to be filed with a county clerk and be available for public inspection. That will cost you $30 cash. Maine's law specifically allows religious institutions to refuse to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies if they wish.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
When will gay marriage law go into effect?
Jan. 1, 2010
Residency requirement:
None.
Other requirements?
If you are under 25 you might need to verify your age with a copy of your birth certificate. If you are under 18, you must get parental consent and a judicial waiver. Boys must be at least 14 years old and girls must be at least 13 years old. (!) When you apply for your license, you must provide a photo ID and your SSN to the city clerk's office. There is no waiting period before licensed couples can get married; licenses are valid for 90 days and will cost at least $45. Non-resident clergy need a license from the Secretary of State.
The fine print: "Today, we are standing up for the liberties of same-sex couples," said Democratic Governor John Lynch on signing gay marriage into law. But he did so only after insisting that the legislature add language protecting the right of clergy and religious institutions to decline to marry same-sex couples.
U.S. states with potential for legalizing gay marriage or instating civil unions
D.C.
Illinois
Maryland
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
Rhode Island
Washington
U.S. states that allow domestic partnerships
California
District of Columbia
Hawaii (reciprocal beneficiary relationships - limited rights)
New Jersey
Nevada
Oregon
Washington - limited rights
U.S. states that have passed a Defense of Marriage Act but have yet to enshrine a same-sex marriage ban in their constitutions
Delaware
*Hawaii (has domestic partnership laws that provide limited legal rights to same-sex couples)
Illinois
Indiana
Maryland
Minnesota
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
*Washington (passed DOMA in 1998, but on May 18, 2009, Gov. Gregoire signed into law a measure that extends all state-level spousal rights to gay couples)
West Virginia
Wyoming
History was made in Vermont. The time was 12:01 am on September 1st, 2009 and standing in front of Justice of the peace Greg Trulson was Bill Slimback and Bob Sullivan, a couple of 17 years from Whitehall, NY. They could not wait another minute to get married, so they didn’t...
Read The Full Article- EnGaygedWeddings exclusive: interview with Vermont Justice of the Peace, Greg Trulson
When did gay marriage go into effect?
Sept. 1, 2009, Vermont is the first state to change their state constitution!
Residency requirement?
None.
Other requirements:
Couples can apply for their license with any town clerk in the state. A license is $45 and valid for 60 days with no mandatory waiting period. No witness is necessary. Under no circumstance can a person under the age of 16 marry. If you are between the ages of 16-18, you must get a signature from a legal guardian or parent.
What about civil unions? In 2000, Vermont, under then-Governor Howard Dean, was the first state to legalize civil unions between same-sex couples. Existing civil unions in Vermont will be recognized, and couples in civil unions will have the option of entering a marriage, but no new civil unions will be permitted in Vermont after Sept. 1, 2009.
MASSACHUSETTS
View Clips From Save The Marriage Movie!
When did gay marriage go into effect?
May 17, 2004
Residency requirement?
No.
On July, 31, 2008, Gov. Deval Patrick signed a law stating same-sex couples can marry in Massachusetts even if they have no intent to reside in the state.
Other requirements:
Couples must be over the age of 18 unless otherwise approved by a judge. Apply for a license -- called a Notice of Intention of Marriage -- at a city or town hall. After three days, couples must go back to the city/town hall to pick up the license and marry within 60 days after filling out the application. A witness is not required. The who marries the couple then sends the appropriately signed license back to the clerk and the marriage is registered with the state. (Couples who can't wait three days can apply for a waiver.)
According to a University of California study, gay and lesbian weddings have boosted the Massachusetts economy by about $111 million. (Guess California voters don't pay attention to University of California studies.)
CONNECTICUT
When did gay marriage go into effect?
On Oct. 10, 2008.
Connecticut became the third state after Massachusetts and California where gay couples could wed. So really the second state.
Residency requirement?
No, but you must get married in the city/town where you obtain the marriage license.
Other requirements:
Pretty much the same as Massachusetts. A couple fills out an application and files for a license (in the town where either partner lives or the town where they wish to get married); they receive the license and must solemnize the marriage within 65 days of filling out the application; the who performs the marriage puts the proper information on the license and sends it back to the clerk of the town where the ceremony occurred; then the clerk registers the marriage and the couple receives a certificate. No witness is required by the state of Connecticut.
The case that made the difference: The decision to legalize gay marriage was the result of a case involving eight gay couples who were tired of being denied marriage licenses and who had all been in relationships between 10-30 years, many having successfully raised children.
IOWA
When did gay marriage go into effect?
On April 27, 2009.
Residency requirement?
None.
Other requirements:
People under 18 need parental consent to marry. As in Massachusetts, there is a mandatory three-day waiting period between filing for a license and receiving the license. You're given six months before you have to have the ceremony. A witness is required at the ceremony.
MAINE
When will gay marriage law go into effect?
Sept. 15, 2009
Residency requirement?
None.
Other requirements:
Couples must declare their "intentions of marriage," a document that has to be signed in front of an authorized to take oaths. That notice, which must include the couples' social security numbers that remain confidential, has to be filed with a county clerk and be available for public inspection. That will cost you $30 cash. Maine's law specifically allows religious institutions to refuse to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies if they wish.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
When will gay marriage law go into effect?
Jan. 1, 2010
Residency requirement:
None.
Other requirements?
If you are under 25 you might need to verify your age with a copy of your birth certificate. If you are under 18, you must get parental consent and a judicial waiver. Boys must be at least 14 years old and girls must be at least 13 years old. (!) When you apply for your license, you must provide a photo ID and your SSN to the city clerk's office. There is no waiting period before licensed couples can get married; licenses are valid for 90 days and will cost at least $45. Non-resident clergy need a license from the Secretary of State.
The fine print: "Today, we are standing up for the liberties of same-sex couples," said Democratic Governor John Lynch on signing gay marriage into law. But he did so only after insisting that the legislature add language protecting the right of clergy and religious institutions to decline to marry same-sex couples.
U.S. states with potential for legalizing gay marriage or instating civil unions
D.C.
Illinois
Maryland
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
Rhode Island
Washington
U.S. states that allow domestic partnerships
California
District of Columbia
Hawaii (reciprocal beneficiary relationships - limited rights)
New Jersey
Nevada
Oregon
Washington - limited rights
U.S. states that have passed a Defense of Marriage Act but have yet to enshrine a same-sex marriage ban in their constitutions
Delaware
*Hawaii (has domestic partnership laws that provide limited legal rights to same-sex couples)
Illinois
Indiana
Maryland
Minnesota
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
*Washington (passed DOMA in 1998, but on May 18, 2009, Gov. Gregoire signed into law a measure that extends all state-level spousal rights to gay couples)
West Virginia
Wyoming
California
Legal victory in San Francisco.
I write with great news from San Francisco! Our Proposition 8 Legal Defense Fund has won a key victory in the early rounds of the latest legal assault against traditional marriage.
(Full Story)
Rhode Island
Gay Marriage Bill Stalls In Rhode Island.
Rhode Island seems almost certain to remain the only New England state that does not recognize gay marriage after measures legalizing same-sex unions stalled just before the part-time General Assembly ended the bulk of its annual work. (Full Story)
Minnesota
2010 census changes reflect gay marriage.
A survey found about half of same-sex couples responded as wed, regardless of legality, and gay rights advocates agree that the number of same-sex couples who told the census they were married far exceed those who could have been actually legally wed. (Full Story)
Iowa
Same-sex marriage applications growing in Iowa.
Two months after the Iowa Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage, the number of applications is climbing in parts of eastern Iowa.(Full Story)
U.S. States with constitutional amendments that prevent same-sex marriages
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California (with the passage of Prop 8)
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Kansas
Kentucky
Idaho
Louisiana
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Wisconsin
Legal victory in San Francisco.
I write with great news from San Francisco! Our Proposition 8 Legal Defense Fund has won a key victory in the early rounds of the latest legal assault against traditional marriage.
(Full Story)
Rhode Island
Gay Marriage Bill Stalls In Rhode Island.
Rhode Island seems almost certain to remain the only New England state that does not recognize gay marriage after measures legalizing same-sex unions stalled just before the part-time General Assembly ended the bulk of its annual work. (Full Story)
Minnesota
2010 census changes reflect gay marriage.
A survey found about half of same-sex couples responded as wed, regardless of legality, and gay rights advocates agree that the number of same-sex couples who told the census they were married far exceed those who could have been actually legally wed. (Full Story)
Iowa
Same-sex marriage applications growing in Iowa.
Two months after the Iowa Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage, the number of applications is climbing in parts of eastern Iowa.(Full Story)
U.S. States with constitutional amendments that prevent same-sex marriages
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California (with the passage of Prop 8)
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Kansas
Kentucky
Idaho
Louisiana
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Wisconsin
Gay Marriage News
Get Involved! Call To Action!
Please Take A Moment To Sign these Equal Marriage Rights Petitions:
The Washington Equal Rights Marriage Petition
Million For Marriage Human Rights Campaign
Courage Campaign to Repeal Prop 8
Keystone Equality for Pennsylvania
Useful Resources for Marriage Equality:
Human Rights Campaign
Freedom to Mary Coalition
GLAD Equal Justice Under Law
Love Honor Cherish.org
MassEquality.com
Gay Marriage News listed by State:
Alabama Gay Marriage News
Alaska Gay Marriage News
Arizona Gay Marriage News
Arkansas Gay Marriage News California Gay Marriage News Colorado Gay Marriage News Connecticut Gay Marriage News Delaware Gay Marriage News
Florida Gay Marriage News
Georgia Gay Marriage News
Hawaii Gay Marriage News
Idaho Gay Marriage News
Illinois Gay Marriage News
Indiana Gay Marriage News
Iowa Gay Marriage News
Kansas Gay Marriage News
Kentucky Gay Marriage News Louisiana Gay Marriage News
Maine Gay Marriage News
Maryland Gay Marriage News Massachusetts Gay Marriage News Michigan Gay Marriage News Minnesota Gay Marriage News Mississippi Gay Marriage News Missouri Gay Marriage News
Montana Gay Marriage News Nebraska Gay Marriage News
Nevada Gay Marriage News
New Hampshire Gay Marriage News New Jersey Gay Marriage News
New Mexico Gay Marriage News
New York Gay Marriage News
North Carolina Gay Marriage News North Dakota Gay Marriage News Ohio Gay Marriage News
Oklahoma Gay Marriage News Oregon Gay Marriage News Pennsylvania Gay Marriage News Rhode Island Gay Marriage News South Carolina Gay Marriage News South Dakota Gay Marriage News Tennessee Gay Marriage News
Texas Gay Marriage News
Utah Gay Marriage News
Vermont Gay Marriage News
Virginia Gay Marriage News Washington Gay Marriage News Washington D.C. Gay Marriage News West Virginia Gay Marriage News Wisconsin Gay Marriage News Wyoming Gay Marriage News
Get Involved! Call To Action!
Please Take A Moment To Sign these Equal Marriage Rights Petitions:
The Washington Equal Rights Marriage Petition
Million For Marriage Human Rights Campaign
Courage Campaign to Repeal Prop 8
Keystone Equality for Pennsylvania
Useful Resources for Marriage Equality:
Human Rights Campaign
Freedom to Mary Coalition
GLAD Equal Justice Under Law
Love Honor Cherish.org
MassEquality.com
Gay Marriage News listed by State:
Alabama Gay Marriage News
Alaska Gay Marriage News
Arizona Gay Marriage News
Arkansas Gay Marriage News California Gay Marriage News Colorado Gay Marriage News Connecticut Gay Marriage News Delaware Gay Marriage News
Florida Gay Marriage News
Georgia Gay Marriage News
Hawaii Gay Marriage News
Idaho Gay Marriage News
Illinois Gay Marriage News
Indiana Gay Marriage News
Iowa Gay Marriage News
Kansas Gay Marriage News
Kentucky Gay Marriage News Louisiana Gay Marriage News
Maine Gay Marriage News
Maryland Gay Marriage News Massachusetts Gay Marriage News Michigan Gay Marriage News Minnesota Gay Marriage News Mississippi Gay Marriage News Missouri Gay Marriage News
Montana Gay Marriage News Nebraska Gay Marriage News
Nevada Gay Marriage News
New Hampshire Gay Marriage News New Jersey Gay Marriage News
New Mexico Gay Marriage News
New York Gay Marriage News
North Carolina Gay Marriage News North Dakota Gay Marriage News Ohio Gay Marriage News
Oklahoma Gay Marriage News Oregon Gay Marriage News Pennsylvania Gay Marriage News Rhode Island Gay Marriage News South Carolina Gay Marriage News South Dakota Gay Marriage News Tennessee Gay Marriage News
Texas Gay Marriage News
Utah Gay Marriage News
Vermont Gay Marriage News
Virginia Gay Marriage News Washington Gay Marriage News Washington D.C. Gay Marriage News West Virginia Gay Marriage News Wisconsin Gay Marriage News Wyoming Gay Marriage News
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Proud Supporters of Equal Human Rights and Diversity!
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