| State |
Legal Status of Same-Sex Marriage |
| Alabama |
Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) adopted as state law |
| Alaska |
Court ruled in favor, followed by state constitutional
amendment to ban gay marriage modeled on DOMA |
| Arkansas |
Voters ratified amendment to ban gay marriage, civil unions, and partnership benefits; this was a citizen initiative |
| Arizona |
Voters ratified amendment to ban gay marriage, civil unions, and partnership benefits; this was a citizen initiative |
| California |
State law banning same-sex marriage on appeal to State Supreme Court |
| Colorado |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| Connecticut |
Bill to allow same-sex couples to marry in legislature (HBO3069) |
| Delaware |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law;
state constitutional amendment blocked in legislature |
| Florida |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| Georgia |
Voters ratified amendment to ban gay marriage, civil unions, and partnership benefits; this was a legislative initiative |
| Hawaii |
Court ruled in favor, followed by state constitutional
granting authority to legislature; legislature approved DOMA, but state
also provides some benefits to same-sex partners |
| Idaho |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| Illinois |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| Indiana |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| Iowa |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| Kansas |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| Kentucky |
Voters ratified amendment to ban gay marriage, civil unions, and partnership benefits; this was a legislative initiative |
| Louisiana |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law and constitutional amendment |
| Maine |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| Maryland |
In 1973, became the first state to define marriage
as being between a man and a woman |
| Massachusetts |
Same-sex marriage upheld by State Supreme Court in
November 2003 |
| Michigan |
Voters ratified amendment to ban gay marriage, civil unions, and partnership benefits |
| Minnesota |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| Mississippi |
Voters ratified amendment to ban gay marriage; this
was a legislative initiative |
| Missouri |
Federal DOMA written into constitution 3 August 2004 |
| Montana |
Voters ratified amendment to ban gay marriage |
| Nebraska |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| Nevada |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| New Hampshire |
State law predates DOMA |
| New Jersey |
State law provides for domestic partner registry; right o marry on appeal to state Supreme Court |
| New Mexico |
no public policy |
| New York |
no public policy |
| North Carolina |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| North Dakota |
Voters ratified amendment to ban gay marriage, civil unions, and partnership benefits; this was a citizen initiative |
| Ohio |
Voters ratified amendment to ban gay marriage, civil unions, and partnership benefits; this was a citizen initiative
In Cincinnati, voter's repealed a 1993 ban on laws supporting gay rights;
it was the only city in the nation with that type of law. |
| Oklahoma |
Voters ratified amendment to ban gay marriage, civil unions, and partnership benefits; this was a legislative initiative |
| Oregon |
Voters ratified amendment to ban gay marriage;
this was a citizen initiative |
| Pennsylvania |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| Rhode Island |
no public policy |
| South Carolina |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| South Dakota |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| Tennessee |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law; state constitutional
amendment on track to be ratified by voters in 2006 |
| Texas |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| Utah |
Voters ratified amendment to ban gay marriage, civil unions, and partnership benefits; this was a legislative initiative |
| Vermont |
High court allowed the Legislature to ban same-sex marriage as long as it provided for civil unions; 2000 |
| Virginia |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| Washington |
State law prohibiting same-sex marriage under review
by State Supreme Court, which has two appeals in its docket |
| West Virginia |
Federal DOMA adopted as state law |
| Wisconsin |
No DOMA but courts have ruled marriage can only
occur between a man and a woman |
| Wyoming |
State law prohibiting same-sex marriage pre-dates DOMA |
