--- 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://www.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://www.pewresearch.org/religion/topics/gay-marriage-and-homosexuality/) **** | |  A history of same-sex marriage laws | | Important events are listed in red | ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** **** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** ******** |  1993Hawaii Supreme Courtrules 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.(May) 1995Utah 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.(March) 1996President Bill Clintonsigns 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.(September) 1998Alaska Superior Court judgerules that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry but stays the decision pending appeals to the state Supreme Court.(February)Hawaii votersapprove a state constitutional amendment reserving the right to define marriage to the Legislature.(November)Alaska votersapprove a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.(November) 1999Alaska Supreme Courtrules 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.(September)Vermont Supreme Courtrules 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.(December) 2000Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D)signs a civil union bill, making Vermont the first state to legally recognize same-sex couples.(April)Nebraska votersapprove a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.(November) 2001Seven same-sex Massachusetts couplesfile a lawsuit after being denied marriage licenses. In Goodridge et al. v. Department of Public Health, the couples seek the right to marry. 2002Nevada votersgive 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.(November) 2003Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, the state's highest court, rules the state constitution guarantees equal marriage rights for same-sex couples.(Nov. 18) 2004New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey (D)signs a domestic partnership law granting same-sex couples certain rights, such as hospital visits.(Jan. 12)Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Courtreaffirms its decision and specifies that only marriage rights - not civil unions - would provide equal protection under the state constitution.(February)Massachusetts Legislatureholds a constitutional convention to consider amending the state constitution to limit marriage to one man and one woman. The measure fails to pass.(February)San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsomauthorizes city officials to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.(February)Sandoval, N.M., county clerksissue 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.(February through March)President Bushannounces support for federal constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.(Feb. 24)California Supreme Courtorders halt to San Francisco same-sex marriages.(March)Massachusetts Legislaturevotes 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.(March)Massachusettsbegins marrying same-sex couples.(May 17)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.(August through November)Montana Supreme Courtrules that the gay and lesbian partners of Montana University employees have the same right to health insurance benefits as their heterosexual counterparts.(December) 2005Kansas votersapprove constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.(April)Oregon's Supreme Courtnullifies nearly 3,000 marriage licenses issued to same-sex couples in 2004 in violation of state law.(April 14)Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell (R)signs bill authorizing civil unions for same-sex couples, effective Oct. 1.(April 20)Federal judgestrikes down a Nebraska constitutional amendment denying marriage rights to same-sex couples.(May)California Supreme Courtlets stand a new law creating domestic partners' registry for same-sex couples.(June)California Supreme Courtissues first-of-its-kind ruling recognizing the co-parenting rights of same-sex couples.(August)California state Assemblyapproves Senate-passed bill to legalize same-sex marriage, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) vetoes it.(September)Massachusetts Legislaturedefeats proposal at second constitutional convention to amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage but allow civil unions.(September)Alaska Supreme Courtrules that state and local governments must offer the same benefits to employees' same-sex partners that they do to spouses.(October)Washington state Supreme Courtrecognizes co-parenting rights of same-sex couples.(November)Texas votersapprove constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.(November)Maine votersreject attempt to repeal a state law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation.(November) 2006Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Courtupholds a 1913 state law banning out-of-state couples from marrying in Massachusetts if the marriage is illegal in their home state.(March)Alabama votersapprove constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.(June)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)Georgia Supreme Courtreinstates constitutional ban against same-sex marriage that had been thrown out by a lower court on procedural grounds.(July)Connecticut judgerules that banning same-sex marriage does not violate same-sex couples' constitutional rights because the state's new civil union law provides similar protections.(July 12)Washington state Supreme Courtrules that the state constitution does not guarantee same-sex couples equal access to the rights and privileges of marriage.(July 28)New Jersey Supreme Courtrules that the state constitution guarantees same-sex couples all of the legal benefits of marriage but stops short of legalizing same-sex marriage.(Oct. 25)Voters in seven states- Idaho, Colorado, South Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin - approve constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage.(Nov. 7)Arizonabecomes the first state to reject at the ballot box a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and other benefits for unmarried couples.(Nov. 7)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.(December) 2007Michigan appeals courtrules 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.(February)New Jerseybegins accepting applications for civil unions.(Feb. 19)Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynchissues legal opinion advising state to recognize same-sex marriages performed in Massachusetts.(Feb. 21)Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire (D)signs bill creating same-sex domestic partnership starting July 22, 2007. The law also applies to senior heterosexual couples.(April 22)Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski (D)signs bill creating same-sex domestic partnerships starting January 1, 2008.(May 9)New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch (D)signs bill creating same-sex civil unions.(May 31)Massachusetts lawmakersuphold the state's court-imposed gay marriage law, protecting it from constitutional ban for at least five years.(June 14)Maryland's highest courtoverturns a lower court decision, ruling that same-sex couples do not have a constitutional right to marry.(Sept. 18) 2008California Supreme Courthears oral arguments in case determining whether the state's domestic partnership law adequately fulfills the equal rights of gay couples.(March 4)Washington state Legislatureapproves bill expanding rights conveyed under the state's 2007 domestic partnership law.(March 4)California Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, rules that the state constitution guarantees same-sex couples the right to marry.(May 15) | | | *[](http://www.stateline.org)*[](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/topics/gay-marriage-and-homosexuality/) | Source:Stateline.orgreporting« Return to the gay marriage issue page |