Prop 8 Ruling Overturned in California

Today the 9th Circuit Court upheld a lower court ruling that overturned California's ban on gay marriage, Proposition 8.  USA Today's "Faith & Reason" section is providing a run down of comments on this event from leaders of different religious groups.

It is no wonder that there are people in Minnesota who want to add an amendment to the Minnesota state constitution that would define marriage as a heterosexual union.  To date, here is the state of same-sex relationships in the United States:

Laws regarding same-sex partnership in the United States

   Same-sex marriage¹

   Unions granting rights similar to marriage^1,2

   Legislation granting limited/enumerated rights¹

   Same-sex marriages performed elsewhere recognized¹

   No specific prohibition or recognition of same-sex marriages or unions

   Statute bans same-sex marriage

   Constitution bans same-sex marriage

   Constitution bans same-sex marriage and other kinds of same-sex unions

¹May include recent laws or court decisions which have created legal recognition of same-sex relationships, but which have not entered into effect yet.
²Same-sex marriage laws in California are complicated; please see the article on Same-sex marriage in California