May 28, 2009
Not unexpectedly the California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage by a vote 6-1. Proposition 8 amended the state Constitution to defining legal marriage in California as only between one man and one woman. But the Court also upheld the existing same-sex marriages, which took place between May when the Supreme Court overturned the ban and November when it became law because there was nothing written concerning retroactivity.
So a valid marriage in California has to be between opposite sexes except for the 18,000 or so same-sex marriages.
A little history
- February 12 – March 11, 2004: San Francisco begins issuing same-sex marriage licenses
- August 12, 2004: California Supreme Court rules that the San Francisco marriages are void
- September 29, 2005: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoes same-sex marriage
- October 12, 2007: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoes same-sex marriage
- May 15, 2008: Supreme Court of California overturns the state’s ban on same-sex marriage
- June 16, 2008: Same-sex marriage legal.
- November 4, 2008: Proposition 8 passes, banning same sex marriage
- November 5, 2008: Proposition 8 takes effect, banning new same-sex marriage licenses from being issued
- May 26, 2009: The Supreme Court of California upheld Proposition 8, and the marriage rights of 18,000 same-sex couples.
CBS Poll: Same-sex marriage
Iowa
Vermont
Maine
New Hampshire
California Supreme Court upholds Proposition 8
Illinois House approves measure to allow same-sex civil unions
States that allow domestic partnerships/civil unions/same-sex marriage
