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== State Marriage Laws ==

== State Marriage Laws ==

About 30 out of 50 states have constitutional provisions defining and limiting marriage as between a man and a woman.<ref>http://www.domawatch.com/stateissues/index.html</ref>  The states lacking protection of marriage in their constitutions are the 13 northeastern states and territory (D.C.) beginning with [[West Virginia]] (but not including Virginia), plus North Carolina on the East Coast; in the Midwest the states of Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana, and in the West the states of Colorado, New Mexico and Washington.  As of May 12, 2009, 5 of these states had judicially declared or legislatively enacted same-sex marriage laws:  Massachusetts, Iowa, Connecticut, Vermont and Maine.  A referendum is possible in Maine in fall 2009 to overturn its legislation, if enough petition signatures are obtained to place it on the ballot. In New Hampshire, the legislature passed same-sex marriage but the Governor has not yet received it for signature or a veto.

30 out of 50 states have constitutional provisions defining and limiting marriage as between a man and a woman.<ref>http://www.domawatch.com/stateissues/index.html</ref>  Traditional marriage has been affirmed in all 31 states in which it was put to a popular vote.<ref name=guardian>[[The Guardian]], [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/8789627 "Maine voters reject gay-marriage law"]</ref> The states lacking protection of marriage in their constitutions are the 13 northeastern states and territory (D.C.) beginning with [[West Virginia]] (but not including Virginia), plus North Carolina on the East Coast; in the Midwest the states of Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana, and in the West the states of Colorado, New Mexico and Washington.  As of August 3, 2010, 7 states had judicially declared or legislatively enacted same-sex marriage laws:  Massachusetts, California, Iowa, Connecticut, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire.  [[Proposition 8]] modified California's constitution in 2008 to protect the sanctity of marriage, and [[Maine]] [[Question 1]] stopped the homosexual agenda again in 2009.<ref name=guardian> /> Only 5 states currently recognize homosexual marriage.

Of the roughly 14 states that lack a constitutional traditional marriage provision, seven have "state DOMAs," which is state legislation defining marriage in the traditional way.  States or territories that lack constitutional protection for marriage or a state DOMA include New Jersey, Delaware, Rhode Island, D.C., Colorado and New Mexico.

Of the roughly 14 states that lack a constitutional traditional marriage provision, seven have "state DOMAs," which is state legislation defining marriage in the traditional way.  States or territories that lack constitutional protection for marriage or a state DOMA include New Jersey, Delaware, Rhode Island, D.C., Colorado and New Mexico.