Six States To Consider Same-Sex Marriage This Year S

Bills to legalize same-sex marriage are expected to see action this year in Maine, New Jersey, New York and Vermont. In addition, the Iowa Supreme Court will decide a case that could legalize same-sex marriage there.

In California, the state Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling in June on whether Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.

Same-sex marriage currently is legal in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Internationally, it is legal in Belgium, Canada, Nepal, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa and Spain.

Three other U.S. states — Hawaii, New Mexico and Washington — are expected to consider passing civil-union laws this year that extend all or nearly all of the rights and obligations of marriage.e.

Such laws already are in place in California, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Oregon and Vermont.

The District of Columbia, Maine, Hawaii and Washington presently have laws that extend limited spousal rights to same-sex couples.

 See Six States To Consider Same-Sex Marriage This Year San Francisco Bay Times