---
"title": "Gay Marriage Timeline"
"description": "Timeline provided by Stateline.org « Return to the gay marriage issue page  A history of same-sex marriage laws Important events are listed in red  1993 Hawaii Supreme Court rules the state must show a compelling reason to ban same-sex marriage and orders a lower court to hear a case seeking the right of same-sex couples […]"
"date": "2008-04-01"
"authors":
  -
    "name": "Joseph Liu"
    "job_title": "Guest Contributor"
"url": "https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/religion/2008/04/01/gay-marriage-timeline/"
---

# Gay Marriage Timeline

[Timeline provided by *Stateline.org*](http://stateline.org) [« Return to the gay marriage issue page](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/religion/topics/gay-marriage-and-homosexuality/)

| **A history of same-sex marriage laws**<br>Important events are listed in red<br>1993<br>**Hawaii Supreme Court** rules the state must show a compelling reason to ban same-sex marriage and orders a lower court to hear a case seeking the right of same-sex couples to marry. <strong>(May)</strong><br>1995<br>**Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt (R)** signs into law the first state Defense of Marriage statute, which stipulates that Utah does not have to recognize out-of-state marriages that violate state public policy. <strong>(March)</strong><br>1996<br>**President Bill Clinton** signs into law the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which upholds states’ rights to ban same-sex marriages and to refuse to recognize such marriages performed elsewhere. <strong>(September)</strong><br>1998<br>**Alaska Superior Court judge** rules that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry but stays the decision pending appeals to the state Supreme Court. <strong>(February)</strong><br>**Hawaii voters** approve a state constitutional amendment reserving the right to define marriage to the Legislature. <strong>(November)</strong><br>**Alaska voters** approve a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. <strong>(November)</strong><br>1999<br>**Alaska Supreme Court** rules that same-sex couples cannot seek the right to marry under the state constitution in light of the 1998 constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. <strong>(September)</strong><br>**Vermont Supreme Court** rules that the state Constitution guarantees same-sex couples the same rights to marriage as heterosexual couples. However, the court leaves it up to the Legislature to decide how to provide marriage rights and benefits to same-sex couples. <strong>(December)</strong><br>2000<br>**Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D)** signs a civil union bill, making Vermont the first state to legally recognize same-sex couples. <strong>(April)</strong><br>**Nebraska voters** approve a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. <strong>(November)</strong><br>2001<br>**Seven same-sex Massachusetts couples** file a lawsuit after being denied marriage licenses. In Goodridge et al. v. Department of Public Health, the couples seek the right to marry.<br>2002<br>**Nevada voters** give final approval to a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Voters first approved the ban in 2000, but state law requires a majority vote in two consecutive election years to amend the constitution. <strong>(November)</strong><br>2003<br>**Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court**, the state’s highest court, rules the state constitution guarantees equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. <strong>(Nov. 18)</strong><br>2004<br>**New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey (D)** signs a domestic partnership law granting same-sex couples certain rights, such as hospital visits. <strong>(Jan. 12)</strong><br>**Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court** reaffirms its decision and specifies that only marriage rights – not civil unions – would provide equal protection under the state constitution. <strong>(February)</strong><br>**Massachusetts Legislature** holds a constitutional convention to consider amending the state constitution to limit marriage to one man and one woman. The measure fails to pass. <strong>(February)</strong><br>**San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom** authorizes city officials to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. <strong>(February)</strong><br>**Sandoval, N.M., county clerks** issue licenses to 26 same-sex couples before courts intervene. New Paltz, N.Y., Mayor Jason West begins officiating same-sex marriages and Multnomah County (Portland), Ore., commissioners issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. <strong>(February through March)</strong><br>**President Bush** announces support for federal constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. <strong>(Feb. 24)</strong><br>**California Supreme Court** orders halt to San Francisco same-sex marriages. <strong>(March)</strong><br>**Massachusetts Legislature** votes to amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage but allow civil unions. Legislature must approve the measure again by 2006 before amendment can go to statewide vote. <strong>(March)</strong><br>**Massachusetts** begins marrying same-sex couples. <strong>(May 17)</strong><br>**Voters in 13 states** – Missouri, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah – approve constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage. <strong>(August through November)</strong><br>**Montana Supreme Court** rules that the gay and lesbian partners of Montana University employees have the same right to health insurance benefits as their heterosexual counterparts. <strong>(December)</strong><br>2005<br>**Kansas voters** approve constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. <strong>(April)</strong><br>**Oregon’s Supreme Court** nullifies nearly 3,000 marriage licenses issued to same-sex couples in 2004 in violation of state law. <strong>(April 14)</strong><br>**Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell (R)** signs bill authorizing civil unions for same-sex couples, effective Oct. 1. <strong>(April 20)</strong><br>**Federal judge** strikes down a Nebraska constitutional amendment denying marriage rights to same-sex couples. <strong>(May)</strong><br>**California Supreme Court** lets stand a new law creating domestic partners’ registry for same-sex couples. <strong>(June)</strong><br>**California Supreme Court** issues first-of-its-kind ruling recognizing the co-parenting rights of same-sex couples. <strong>(August)</strong><br>**California state Assembly** approves Senate-passed bill to legalize same-sex marriage, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) vetoes it. <strong>(September)</strong><br>**Massachusetts Legislature** defeats proposal at second constitutional convention to amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage but allow civil unions. <strong>(September)</strong><br>**Alaska Supreme Court** rules that state and local governments must offer the same benefits to employees’ same-sex partners that they do to spouses. <strong>(October)</strong><br>**Washington state Supreme Court** recognizes co-parenting rights of same-sex couples. <strong>(November)</strong><br>**Texas voters** approve constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. <strong>(November)</strong><br>**Maine voters** reject attempt to repeal a state law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. <strong>(November)</strong><br>2006<br>**Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court** upholds a 1913 state law banning out-of-state couples from marrying in Massachusetts if the marriage is illegal in their home state. <strong>(March)</strong><br>**Alabama voters** approve constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. <strong>(June)</strong><br>**New York Court of Appeals**, the state’s highest court, rules that the state constitution does not guarantee same-sex couples equal access to the rights and privileges of marriage. (**July 6)**<br>**Georgia Supreme Court** reinstates constitutional ban against same-sex marriage that had been thrown out by a lower court on procedural grounds. <strong>(July)</strong><br>**Connecticut judge** rules that banning same-sex marriage does not violate same-sex couples’ constitutional rights because the state’s new civil union law provides similar protections. <strong>(July 12)</strong><br>**Washington state Supreme Court** rules that the state constitution does not guarantee same-sex couples equal access to the rights and privileges of marriage. <strong>(July 28)</strong><br>**New Jersey Supreme Court** rules that the state constitution guarantees same-sex couples all of the legal benefits of marriage but stops short of legalizing same-sex marriage. <strong>(Oct. 25)</strong><br>**Voters in seven states** – Idaho, Colorado, South Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin – approve constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage. <strong>(Nov. 7)</strong><br>**Arizona** becomes the first state to reject at the ballot box a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and other benefits for unmarried couples. <strong>(Nov. 7)</strong><br>**New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D)**, in the wake of a court order, signs a bill permitting same-sex couples to enter into civil unions, granting the same state benefits conferred on married couples. <strong>(December)</strong><br>2007<br>**Michigan appeals court** rules that state’s ban on gay marriage prohibits state and local governments and public universities from offering health benefits to partners in same-sex relationships. <strong>(February)</strong><br>**New Jersey** begins accepting applications for civil unions. <strong>(Feb. 19)</strong><br>**Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch** issues legal opinion advising state to recognize same-sex marriages performed in Massachusetts. <strong>(Feb. 21)</strong><br>**Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire (D)** signs bill creating same-sex domestic partnership starting July 22, 2007. The law also applies to senior heterosexual couples. <strong>(April 22)</strong><br>**Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski (D)** signs bill creating same-sex domestic partnerships starting January 1, 2008. <strong>(May 9)</strong><br>**New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch (D)** signs bill creating same-sex civil unions. <strong>(May 31)</strong><br>**Massachusetts lawmakers** uphold the state’s court-imposed gay marriage law, protecting it from constitutional ban for at least five years. <strong>(June 14)</strong><br>**Maryland’s highest court** overturns a lower court decision, ruling that same-sex couples do not have a constitutional right to marry. <strong>(Sept. 18)</strong><br>2008<br>**California Supreme Court** hears oral arguments in case determining whether the state’s domestic partnership law adequately fulfills the equal rights of gay couples. <strong>(March 4)</strong><br>**Washington state Legislature** approves bill expanding rights conveyed under the state’s 2007 domestic partnership law. <strong>(March 4)</strong><br>**California Supreme Court**, in a 4-3 decision, rules that the state constitution guarantees same-sex couples the right to marry. <strong>(May 15)</strong><br>Source: [*Stateline.org*](http://www.stateline.org) reporting [« Return to the gay marriage issue page](https://alpha.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/religion/topics/gay-marriage-and-homosexuality/) |
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