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Connecticut legislature approves same-sex marriage bill to comply with court ruling

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] The Connecticut General Assembly on Wednesday approved a bill granting same-sex couples the right to marry. The legislation codified the October ruling by the Connecticut Supreme Court, which held that the Connecticut Constitution requires that same-sex couples be allowed to marry. The Connecticut Senate voted 28-7 to approve the bill, while the state's House of Representatives approved it by a vote of 100-44. The bill would turn all previous civil unions into marriages starting in October 2010. An amendment was also included with the legislation that allows religious groups to deny services and goods to same-sex couples for weddings and other functions. Governor M. Jodi Rell has said she will sign the legislation. If approved, the legislation would make Connecticut the second state to officially sanction same-sex marriage via a vote of the legislature. Vermont was the first state to do so earlier this month. Two other states, Massachusetts and Iowa, have also approved same-sex marriages through a high court ruling. California had allowed same-sex marriages until November 2008, when Proposition 8 passed 52-48.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on April 23, 2009 (boomark / email).