Changes

== State Marriage Laws ==

== State Marriage Laws ==

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.

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.</ref>

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.