Arizona:
The Arizona Senate gave preliminary approval March 25 to a proposal to urge Congress to pass a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in a 15-10 vote. The measure, which cleared the state House earlier this month, still faces a formal vote in the Senate.
California:
State Attorney General Bill Lockyer argued that San Francisco officials overstepped their bounds by issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, assuming for themselves "more power than the governor, or the Supreme Court, or the Legislature" in a brief submitted at the request of the California Supreme Court. Lockyer rejected the city's argument that local officials were obligated to grant licenses because the state Constitution forbids discrimination. The Supreme Court is considering whether Mayor Gavin Newsom had the authority to direct his administration to sanction marriages of gay and lesbians even though the state's Family Code defines marriage as a union between a man and woman.
Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said she believes gay couples can marry and that she approved of Mayor Gavin Newsom's decision to grant same-sex marriage licenses.
Iowa:
A resolution calling for a state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage was defeated in the Senate by a 24-25 vote.
Kansas:
An amendment to the State Constitution to ban same-sex marriage died in the Senate. Faced with a House-approved proposal to ban both gay marriage and civil unions for same-sex couples, senators turned it into a measure that would ban gay marriage but did not specifically prohibit civil unions. The Senate's strongest opponents of gay marriage then helped kill that version.
Kentucky:
A constitutional amendment to prohibit same-sex marriages was defeated March 26 in the Kentucky House after Republicans staged a walkout hours into a contentious debate. In their absence, too few votes were available. The marriage amendment was passed by the Senate and would go on the November ballot if it cleared the House.
Louisiana:
Three New Orleans-area Republicans have introduced constitutional amendments prohibiting Louisiana from recognizing same-sex marriages. Gov. Kathleen Blanco is not backing them, a serious impediment in this strong-governor state. Blanco says Louisiana's present law, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman, is good enough.
Maryland:
A House committee voted to approve creating a state registry of domestic partners that would grant them the right to make medical decisions for each other. The bill gathered bipartisan support from the Health and Government Operations Committee in a 15-6 vote and now goes to the full House of Delegates for consideration next week. It must also pass the Senate before arriving on the governor's desk.
Massachusetts:
Lawmakers have approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage and, at the same time, legalize civil unions for same-sex couples. The amendment must be approved again by lawmakers during the 2005-06 session before it goes on the ballot in November 2006.
Gov. Mitt Romney distanced himself March 26 from published reports that the administration had scheduled specific training for city clerks in anticipation of gay marriages in mid-May. "That's premature, perhaps a little jumping to conclusions as to what might need to be provided as instructions," Romney said. Town and city clerks said this week that they had been notified that they will be trained in early May for the issuance of gay marriage licenses, slated to begin May 17, but they were given few details about what the training will entail.
Also, a state judge has dissolved a gay couple's civil union in a case believed to be the first to cite the landmark high court decision legalizing gay marriage since it came down in November. Essex County Probate and Family Court judge John Cronin said in his decision that the Supreme Judicial Court gave gay couples the same rights as married heterosexual couples, including the right to end their relationships.
Minnesota:
A Senate committee voted 5-4 along party lines MArch 26 to reject a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage. The legislation passed earlier in the GOP-led House. Directly after voting down that amendment, however, the committee approved an alternative that would allow voters to decide if the constitution should be amended to prohibit the judicial branch from having jurisdiction over defining marriage, leaving that power to the Legislature. The bill now goes to the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, which will decide its fate.
Missouri:
As lawmakers debate a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriages, a lesbian couple who wed last weekend will ask St. Louis County to recognize the marriage. Earlier this month, the state Senate voted 26-6 in favor of the constitutional amendment banning gay marriages. If the House approves, voters could decide the amendment's fate in November.
New Mexico:
A judge on March 23 slammed the door on a Sandoval County Clerk Victoria Dunlap's plan to resume issuing same-sex marriage licenses after she agreed to stop doing so last month. Dunlap said she decided to resume the practice of issuing such licenses after reviewing state law governing marriage and deciding same-sex marriage is not precluded. Dunlap, a Republican, said she had not decided whether to fight the temporary restraining order against issuing same-sex licenses. State District Judge Kenneth Brown, who issued the order, set an April 2 hearing on a motion for a permanent injunction.
New Jersey:
After July 1, same-sex partners will be able to legally have many of the same rights as married couples, but details such as how much a registration will cost, what the certificate will look like and how many people may sign up for it are still unknown. Gov. James E. McGreevey signed the domestic partnership legislation in January. It will enable same-sex partners to get access to medical benefits, insurance and other legal rights. It does not authorize gay marriage, which is against the law in New Jersey.
New York:
Two Unitarian Universalist ministers who were charged this month with solemnizing marriages without a license for officiating at same-sex weddings in New Paltz have pleaded not guilty. Ulster County District Attorney Donald Williams said he brought charges because the ministers considered the weddings civil ceremonies.
Meanwhile, another 11 same-sex weddings were held Saturday in New Paltz. Unitarian ministers there have stepped in since Mayor Jason West, who conducted 25 gay weddings last month, was barred from performing more.
In Albany, a Unitarian Universalist minister married two same-sex couples in the state capital. The couples in Albany filled out marriage contracts, and the minister signed an affidavit of marriage, all of which were notarized. The couples had been denied marriage licenses from the Albany city clerk's office and will try again next week to submit new paperwork.
North Carolina:
A gay couple filed a lawsuit in Durham County on March 22 after being denied a marriage license. The couple's lawsuit contends that the county has to issue the marriage license, even though it would have only symbolic meaning. State law invalidates any claim of marriage between people of the same sex. County Attorney Chuck Kitchen said he would file a motion to dismiss the suit by the end of the week. Kitchen angered area gay-rights activists last year when he said it would be illegal for the county to offer health benefits to same-sex domestic partners of its employees. He cited an 1805 state law against fornication and adultery.
Ohio:
58 same-sex couples tried to get marriage licenses in Cleveland. Workers at the courthouse told the couples the state would not permit a license to be issued. The couples applied anyway, paying the nonrefundable fee and answering biographical questions under oath. Many said it was a symbolic show of support for equal rights for gay couples. More than 100 people gathered in the rain outside the courthouse for a rally, many holding signs calling for gay rights.
Cleveland currently offers a domestic registry for same-sex couples.
Oregon:
Circuit Court judge has turned down a request by 14 state lawmakers who wanted to join a lawsuit over the legality of gay marriages in Oregon. The Judge rejected the Republican legislators' "motion to intervene" in the suit filed March 24 by the ACLU, because he said it would slow down proceedings and that the controversy over Multnomah County's decisions to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples demanded a prompt decision. The ACLU brought the lawsuit on behalf of nine gay and lesbian couples who say the state violated their rights under the Oregon Constitution by not registering their marriages with the Office of Vital Statistics.
Rhode Island:
About 100 people turned out for the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on two opposing bills – one that would define marriage as between a man and a woman and another that would allow same-sex couples to marry. Both would amend a mid-18th century law governing who may marry in Rhode Island. The four hour hearing ended without a vote on either bill.
Tennessee:
A bill that would have prevented Tennessee from recognizing same-sex unions from other states died March 24 when it failed to pass the House Domestic Relations Subcommittee. The subcommittee voted 5-4 against the measure after about 15 minutes of debate.
Utah:
Gov. Olene Walker has signed legislation banning same-sex marriages and barring the state from recognizing civil unions.
