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SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
Amendments to ban same-sex marriage have passed in 30 states, including three in November 2008. The Connecticut General Assembly has gone against the national trend by not allowing a vote by the electors on a constitutional amendment for Connecticut.
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December 7, 2007 - Court rules lesbian couple married in Massachusetts cannot divorce in Rhode Island
September 19, 2007 - Court upholds Maryland gay marriage ban
May 14, 2007 - Connecticut Supreme Court hears same-sex marriage case. Decision is expected in the Fall of 2007
Seven States Pass Definition of Marriage Amendments in 2006 November Elections:
Calorado, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin
One State Failed to Pass a Definition of Marriage Amendment
Arizona (which already has a definition of marriage statute)
October 26, 2006 - New Jersey Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Same-sex Unions. Read more.
July 27, 2006 - Washington Court Rejects Gay Marriage. Read more.
July 15, 2006 - Nebraska Marriage Amendment Upheld by Court. Read more.
July 12, 2006 - Connecticut Court Rules Against Gay Marriage. Read more.
July 6, 2006 - New York and Georgia Supreme Courts Reject Gay Marriage. Read more.
June 7, 2006 - U.S. Senate fails to pass Federal Protection of Marriage Amendment. Senator Lieberman votes "No". Senator Dodd fails to cast vote. Read more.
June 6, 2006 - Alabama passes marriage amendment by 81%. Read more.
March 22, 2006 - Hearing held in New Haven Superior Court on legalizing same-sex marriage in Connecticut. Read more.
Note: The Connecticut Catholic Conference filed an amicus brief in this case in support of traditional marriage.
July 29, 2005 - Three months after Connecticut passed civil union legislation an LGBT organization, claiming that same-sex couples deserve nothing short of marriage, filed a brief in New Haven Superior Court on behalf of eight Connecticut same-sex couples. The court case was initiated in August 2004. A lawyer for the organization stated that " the civil unions law undercuts any rationale the state ever had for denying marriage." Read more.
Note: The Connecticut Catholic Conference and other groups that supported traditional marriage during the legislative debate warned elected officials that passage of civil union legislation would be used legally to pursue same-sex marriage. This is one of the reasons we constantly stated that a vote for civil unions was a vote for same-sex marriage.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
2007
On April 16, 2007 the Judiciary Committee of the General Assembly passsed same-sex marriage legislation, but it failed to be raised in the House of Representatives later in the session. The proponents of same-sex marriage will continue to pursue it next year.
See how the Judiciary Committee Voted
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
2006A bill designed to open the door for the legalization of same-sex "marriage" in Connecticut was heard by the Judiciary Committee this session. S.B. 699, An Act Concerning Recognition of Foreign Contracts, would have changed state law to make same-sex "marriages" from foreign jurisdictions (Massachusetts, other countries) "not less than" the equivalent of same-sex civil unions in Connecticut. Current state law does not recognize same-sex "marriage" and our civil union law explicitly defines marriage as occurring between a man and a woman. The bill was opposed by the Catholic Conference and never received a vote in committee.
The definition of marriage was the true target of this bill. With the same-sex "marriage" Kerrigan case pending in our courts, pro same-sex "marriage" activists are looking for any opportunity to pressure the courts to rule in their favor. If this bill passed it would have weakened the legal definition of marriage, providing further ammunition to the plaintiffs in Kerrigan .
2005
The Connecticut General Assembly passed and Governor Jodi Rell has signed a same-sex Civil Union bill. This bill gives all the rights of marriage to same-sex unions. It is same-sex marriage by a different name. The voice of the people was not heard by our elected officials.
See how your Representative and Senator voted:
House vote on Marriage amendment and Civil Union bill
Passed Senate Vote on Civil Union Bill
Failed Senate Vote on Defining Marriage as between a man and woman
Failed Senate Vote on Referendum
ARTICLES OF INTEREST
Informational Articles on the Federal Marriage Amendment
Answers to Common Questions (pdf)
The Potential Consequences of Failing to Adopt a Marriage Amendment (pdf)
February 16, 2006 - A French government commission rules that in the best interest of children same-sex marriage should not be allowed in France. This ruling stresses the interests of children over the aspirations of adults. Read more.
May 2006 - Excellent article on how enactment of same-sex marriage will directly threaten religious liberties in our country.- "Banned in Boston- The coming conflict between same-sex marriage and religious liberty" by Maggie Gallagher
MARRIAGE POLL SHOWS 76% OF CONNECTICUT CITIZENS WANT A REFERENDUM ON THE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE ISSUE AND 78% SUPPORT TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE. THE POLL WAS SPONSORED BY THE CONNECTICUT CATHOLIC CONFERENCE AND THE FAMILY INSTITUTE OF CONNECTICUT.
Between MAN And WOMAN, Questions and Answers on Marriage and Same-Sex Unions(pdf) by USCCB
PRO-FAMILY COALITION FACT SHEET ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. This document presents and answers many questions.
** August 25, 2004 - Constitutionality of Connecticut Marriage Law Challenged (pdf - New York Times)- Move made to Legalize Gay Marriage.
** July 30, 2004 - APA Taken to Task for Endorsement of Same-Sex Marriage
** June/July 2004 Connecticut Lawyer article by Mark W. Dost, Esq.:
Civil Marriage: "The Voluntary Union for Life of One Man and One Women, to the Exclusion of All Others" (pdf)
Read Vatican Document: Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions between Homosexual Persons
Read the May 17, 2004 opinion of Attorney General Blumenthal on same-sex marriage in Connecticut
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