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Content about Same-sex marriage in Connecticut

May 20, 2013
Poll shows most Britons want gay marriages and straight civil partnership

New YouGov poll shows majority of Britons support same-sex marriages and civil partnerships for straight couples

Most Britons back same-sex marriage legislation with only a third against.

That's the result of a new poll by YouGov.

It indicated ongoing support for the legislation going through the UK Parliament for the change in England and Wales. Separate legislation is being developed in Scotland.

The survey found 54% of Britons support same sex marriage legislation, with 36% opposed. Among Conservatives, more people oppose the measures than support them but the margin is narrow (48% to 45%).

May 16, 2013
Third consecutive Gallup Poll shows more than 50% of Americans in favor of gay marriage

Current 53% level of support is essentially double the 27% in 1996

Support for gay marriage among Americans seems to be solidifying above the 50% level, according to a poll released today by Gallup.

The latest poll shows that 53% say the law should recognize same-sex marriages. This marks the third consecutive reading of 50% or above in Gallup polling over the past year.

May 14, 2013
Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton signs gay marriage bill into law during spirited ceremony

He praises lawmakers for showing 'political courage'

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton officially signed gay marriage into law Tuesday (14 May) during a spirited ceremony on the steps of the statehouse attended by thousands of cheering supporters.

'What a day for Minnesota,' Dayton said. 'And what a difference a year and an election can make.'

The governor pointed out that last year, there was concern that same-sex marriage might be banned forever in the state. But the referendum was defeated last November and 'now my signature will make it legal in two-and-a-half months.'

May 9, 2013
Minnesota on way to be 12th gay marriage state with House vote

Minnesota's House of Representatives will vote on gay marriage on Thursday, with Democrats hopeful the bill will pass

Minnesota could become the 12th US state to legalize gay marriage when the House of Representatives vote on the matter on Thursday (9 May).

House speaker Paul Thissen said he believed the bill has the 68 supporting votes needed to pass, even if no Republicans vote for it, as they have indicated.

'We are confident we have the votes to take the bill up this week,' said House majority leader Erin Murphy, MSNBC reports.

May 7, 2013
Delaware State Senate passes gay marriage bill in 12-9 vote, governor quickly signs into law

State now the 11th in US to have marriage equality

The Delaware State Senate on Tuesday (7 May) passed a marriage equality bill in a 12-9 vote clearing the way for same-sex marriages to begin in the state this summer.

The senate chamber erupted in cheers after the vote which took place after three hours of heated rhetoric on both sides.

Similar legislation had already been approved by the House of Representatives which allowed Governor Jack Markell, an outspoken supporter of gay marriage, to quickly sign the bill in to law.

May 4, 2013
Minnesota lawmakers to begin voting on gay marriage bill

As early as next week, Minnesota House and Senate representatives may vote on a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in the state

Minnesota state representatives may vote on a gay marriage bill as early as next week.

Though no votes have been scheduled in either the House or Senate, according to The Associated Press, if the bill passes, gay marriage in Minnesota could come as quickly as 1 August.

As state representatives continue to debate their vote, one more Minnesota swing vote representative announced his support for the gay marriage bill.

May 1, 2013
Gay couples celebrate civil unions in Colorado

Civil unions between same-sex couples became legal in the American state of Colorado today

The first legally binding unions between same-sex couples began in the early hours of this morning (Wednesday 1 May) in Colorado.

Couples were lining-up since 2pm yesterday outside the municipal Webb Building Denver where civil union ceremonies were scheduled to be performed from 12.01 to 2am, The Denver Channel reports.

April 24, 2013
Colombia’s Senate says no to gay marriage

Colombian senators overwhelmingly rejected a marriage equality bill but the country's Constitutional Court may legalize gay marriage by June

The Colombian Senate rejected today (24 April) a marriage equality bill.

A majority of senators 51 opposed the bill while 17 were in favor, a day after they postponed a vote on the issue for a second time.

It seems that an agreement has been reached between Colombia’s two largest parties, the Conservative and the ‘U’, to not allow the bill to become law.

April 23, 2013
Nevada Senate passes gay marriage

Nevada state Senate repealed a ban on gay marriage and passed a marriage equality resolution during which the impassioned debate Senator Kelvin Atkinson came out as a gay man

The Nevada state Senate passed a same-sex marriage resolution, by a vote of 12-9.

The resolution passed today (23 April) repeals the state text defining marriage as between a man and a woman, replacing it with ‘the state shall recognize marriages and issue marriage licenses, regardless of gender’.

Same-sex marriage was banned in 2002 when voters passed a constitutional amendment, Nevada Question 2.

April 20, 2013
Rob Portman's polling numbers dip with Republicans

Republican support for Senator Rob Portman has dipped since his marriage equality announcement

Senator Rob Portman's approval numbers have declined since declaring his backing of same sex marriage.

April 13, 2013
Poll shows increasing support in US for gay marriage

New poll shows slight majority of US respondents favor granting marriage rights to gay couples

According to a NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, 53 percent of US respondents favor allowing gay couples the right to marry.

As reported by the website First Read, this number is two points up from a similar survey conducted in 2012 December. The poll also shows 42 percent are opposed to gay may marriage, also a two point jump. These changes are within the margin of error.

March 31, 2013
Republican senator thinks a future GOP presidential nominee will be for gay marriage

Arizona Senator Jeff Flake looks into the future and sees a Republican presidential nominee who supports gay marriage

Senator Jeff Flake thinks there will come a day when Republicans will rally around a presidential nominee who supports gay marriage.

The Arizona politician made the prediction today (31 March) to reporter Chuck Todd on the news show Meet The Press.

'I think that's inevitable,' Flake said. 'There will be one, and that I think he'll receive Republican support, or she will.'

March 26, 2013
Supreme Court split on Prop 8, decision unlikely on gay marriage

It is unlikely a decision will be reached on marriage equality, with eight judges evenly split and deciding vote Justice Kennedy in favor of throwing out the case

The Supreme Court of the United Status is unlikely to rule in favor or against same-sex marriage.

With the eight judges evenly split on marriage equality, experts are predicting they are unlikely to make a decision at all on California’s Proposition 8.

Chief Justice Roberts is reportedly raising doubts about the case, saying it may not reach the central issue of the right to same-sex marriage.

March 25, 2013
Gay Star News previews blockbuster week at US Supreme Court for gay marriage

Challenges to Prop 8 and DOMA could have historic implications

Although it could be months before the US Supreme Court issues its rulings, this week's hearings on California's Proposition 8 and the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) are already historic.

It marks the first time the high court has ever decided to take on gay marriage cases and it does so as multiple polls show support of marriage equality at an all-time high.

March 21, 2013
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signs civil unions bill into law

Joins eight other states that have civil unions or similar laws

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper today signed into law a measure that legalizes same-sex civil unions in his state.

The new law provides gay and lesbian couples with such legal protections and responsibilities as the ability to take family leave to care for a partner, to make medical and end-of-life decisions for a partner, to live together in a nursing home, and to adopt children together.

March 3, 2013
California voters are for gay marriage 2 to 1

Poll shows California voters now support same sex marriage 2 to 1

As the Supreme Court examines Prop 8, it appears California voters now overwhelmingly support gay marriage.

As reported by Talking Points Memo, a survey conducted by Field Poll shows 61 percent of the state's voters approve of same sex marriage, with 32 percent opposed.

March 1, 2013
Support for gay marriage among Californians is now highest in state history

New poll shows 61% now favor marriage equality in the state that passed Proposition 8

A new poll released today shows a record 61% of California voters now approve of gay marriage.

The results come just four years ago after voters in the state passed Proposition 8, a ballot measure that made same-sex marriage illegal in California. The law is being challenged in a case before the US Supreme Court next month.

The latest Field Poll results are a dramatic reversal in public opinion since the first gay marriage poll in the state in 1977. At that time, just 28% favored marriage equality while 59% were against it.

February 7, 2013
Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton speaks out in favor of gay marriage in his state

Wants state to be place where 'no one is told that it is illegal to marry the person you love'

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton stuck mostly to fiscal issues in his State of the State address on Wednesday (6 February) but he made sure to make time to express his support of same-sex marriage in his state.

'I want Minnesota to be a state which affirms that freedom for one means freedom for everyone, and where no one is told that it is illegal to marry the person you love,' Dayton said in his speech.

February 6, 2013
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn promises that gay marriage is coming to his state

'Our Illinois is not a land of discrimination'

In his State of the State address delivered Wednesday (6 February), Illinois Governor Pat Quinn made a big promise to the LGBT community: 'Marriage equality is coming to Illinois.'

Quinn called on lawmakers in the state legislature to take the remaining steps necessary to make Illinois the 10th state in the US to allow gay marriage.

February 5, 2013
Gay marriage bill advances in Illinois State Senate by clearing committee

Vote before full Senate could take place on Valentine's Day

Illinois took a step closer Tuesday (5 February) to becoming the 10th state in the US to make marriage legal.

A same-sex marriage bill sponsored by Sen. Heather Steans passed a State Senate committee by a vote of 9-5. The bill now moves on to the full Senate for a vote which could take place on Valentine's Day (14 February).

Steans had sponsored gay marriage legislation in last month's lame duck session but it did not manage to advance it past the committee stage.

January 31, 2013
Colorado gay civil union approved and heads for Senate vote

The Colorado Senate appropriations committee approved the gay civil union act, and now moves to the Senate for a vote

Colorado State moved closer today (31 January) to pass the same-sex civil union act, when a Senate appropriations committee approved it by a vote of 4-3.

The bill now moves to the Senate floor for a vote.

If passed the bill, know as SB-11, will provide committed gay and lesbian couples with critical legal protections and responsibilities.

January 23, 2013
Colorado poised to approve gay civil unions

A proposal to allow civil unions for gay couples is set to be voted by the Democratic controlled Colorado Senate

Senate Democrats are set to approve to gay civil unions during a planned vote in the legislative committee’s first session, scheduled later today (23 January).

The bill, which was unsuccessful in the past due to Republican opposition, is likely to become law, with Democrats controlling the state House, Senate and governor’s office.

In the last two years there has been a vocal and at times antagonistic debate over a same-sex civil union bill which was defeated and criticized by Republicans and religious leaders.

January 4, 2013
French Conservatives demand referendum on gay marriage

In a recent survey, over 80% of right-wing French people want a nationwide vote to decide whether parliament should proceed with marriage equality

Supporters of France’s conservative parties have said they want a referendum on gay marriage.

As plans for marriage equality become closer to reality, right-wingers have said they would like to see a nationwide vote in the hopes it would go their way.

January 3, 2013
Illinois gay marriage suffers a setback

A bid to legalize gay marriage in Illinois suffered a defeat in the state’s Senate

A bid to introduce the Illinois marriage equality bill was defeated on Wednesday night when supporters of the bill fell two votes shy of getting the legislative hearing of the bill.

This meaning there will be no Senate vote on the measure until Thursday (4 January) at the earliest.

The vote was on waiving a six-day waiting period set out in Senate rules to get the measure heard in committee Wednesday night (2 January).

However key absences among Democratic supporters and unified Republican opposition defeated the effort, by 28 votes to 24.

December 27, 2012
New Jersey Democrats warming to putting same-sex marriage to the people

New Jersey Democrats are now divided over whether to put the issue of marriage equality to the people whereas at the beginning of the year the party was united in objecting to having civil rights decided by popular vote

Some New Jersey Democrats are coming around to the idea of putting the issue of same-sex marriage to a popular vote in the state despite opposition from the party leadership.

A bill to legalize same-sex marriage passed the state Legislature in February but was vetoed by New Jersey’s popular Republican Governor Chris Christie, who urged supporters to instead put the issue to the voters.