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U.S. state policies on gay marriage
The Associated Press -
Published 12:31 pm PDT Thursday, May 15, 2008
Ten U.S. states now offer some form of legal recognition to same-sex couples, while 26 states have approved constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage, and three more may be considering such bans in November. The details:
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RECOGNITION OF SAME-SEX UNIONS:
Same-sex marriage is recognized only in Massachusetts, but a state Supreme Court ruling Thursday puts California on a path to become the second state to do so. Four states -- Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut and New Hampshire -- have civil unions. California has been one of five states -- along with Hawaii, Maine, Washington and Oregon -- with domestic partnership or reciprocal benefits laws that provide some marriage-like rights to same-sex couples.
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CONSTITUTIONAL BANS:
Voters in 26 states have approved state constitutional amendments that ban gay marriage:
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin.
Hawaii voters approved a constitutional amendment empowering the legislature to outlaw same-sex marriage; lawmakers did so in 1998.
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2008 BALLOT ITEMS:
A proposed state constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage will be on Florida's ballot in November. Backers of a similar measure in California say they have gathered enough signatures to qualify it for the ballot; the signatures are under review. The Arizona Legislature is considering putting such an amendment on the ballot there.
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