MARRIAGE FACTS:
A VIEW FROM THE STATES

• Same-Sex Couples from at Least 46 States Have Received Marriage Licenses
• Thousands of marriage licenses have been issued in Massachusetts, California, and Oregon. Press reports indicate that couples from throughout the nation have traveled to those states to receive these licenses, with the full intention of returning to their home states.
• 10 States are Facing Court Challenges to Their Marriage Laws
• Same-sex couples are currently challenging the marriage laws in California, Florida, Indiana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Washington, and West Virginia. In addition, lawsuits have been filed in Alaska and Montana to force the state to grant marital benefits (but not marriage licenses) to same-sex couples.
• 42 States Have State Statutes Protecting Traditional Marriage
• At least 42 states have state statutes that define marriage in their states as man-woman, many of them passed in the past ten years. However, at least 35 state legislatures — recognizing the threat from the courts — have acted again this year and introduced additional legislation or constitutional amendments to protect marriage.
• At Least 7 States Will Have State Constitutional Amendments on the 2004 Ballot
• Ballot initiatives will appear on the November ballot in Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Utah. Missouri citizens will vote on a state constitutional amendment on its August ballot, and Louisiana voters will consider the issue in September.
• Statewide Signature-Gathering Campaigns Continue in 6 States
• Efforts to place constitutional amendments on the November 2004 ballot continue in Arkansas, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, and Oregon.