Subscribe to Breaking NewsOut-of-state gay marriages now recognized in D.C.
As of 12:01 this morning, gays and lesbians who are married in Iowa, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine or Vermont now also have their marriages recognized in Washington, D.C.
The D.C. City Council approved the measure last month, but it was subject to a 30-day Congressional review period. Since Congress took no action, gay and lesbian marriages performed legally in other states are now legal in D.C. as well. No same-sex marriages, however, are recognized by the Federal government.
Says the conservative Washington Times:
“The law will affect everything from tax filing, employer health care benefits, inheritance and hospital visitation rights to mundane activities, such as gym memberships and car rentals.
“Recognition of same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions strengthens many rights that were already in place with the District’s Health Benefits Expansion Act of 1992, which allowed gay couples to register as domestic partners and receive some of the same benefits afforded to married couples.
“The act, which did not go into effect until 2002 because implementation was blocked by Congress, has been amended over the years to offer additional benefits that allow same-sex couples to make medical decisions on each other’s behalf, to benefit from hospital visitation rights and to file taxes jointly, among other things.
“The U.S. Census Bureau lists 3,839 same-sex couples as residing in the District, according to 2005-2007 data. And the nearly 33,000 gay, lesbian and bisexual people — single and coupled — living in the District made up approximately 8.1 percent of the city’s total adult population in 2005.”
My wife and I are one of the 18,000. We’re a minority within a minority. I was born in California and love this state. My parents, grandparents and many relatives are buried here and my wife and I have plots as well, and my only living relatives, my sister and her family, and my mother in law and sister and brother in law reside here too. I really don’t want to leave this state.
I never thought I’d see the day when California would find itself where it does today. I’m sad. I’m hurt. I’m ashamed.
JRjr,
Who told you these exact words that your CA legal marriage is not legal in DC? Or are you inferring that just because 365gay.com may have forgotten to include that very necessary legal point in this story?
As long as 18,000 CA marriages back home have legal standing in your state and CA did not and would not invalidate them, they should be recognized in DC. Just please seek legal advice to be sure that is indeed the case.
Stories here on 365gay.com are not always as thoroughly covered as they should be. Just take a deep breath, calm down and consult a legal source you trust to see if your concerns are truly well-founded or not about DC recognizing your still legal CA marriage.
This is a very good point and I intend to ask that very same question about the current legal status of 18,000 CA still legal marriages in DC.
I would think, though the article doesn’t say for sure, that the 18,000 gay marraiges in CA would also be recognized in D.C.
The article omitted California. Although the Christian Movement eliminated future marriages via Prop H8, the ones prior to this discriminatory action took effect are still legal.
A small, but good, step in the right direction.
Pennsylvania will submit pro-mariage legislation on Weds.
http://tbrough.livejournal.com/4169.html
California did not invalidate the 18,000 marriages that were legal in 2008 and California said that it would not invalidate them. The only problem is no new same-sex marriages can be performed in California at this time.
Until those 18,000 CA marriages no longer have legal standing back home in CA, there should be logically no problem in DC with their recgnition in DC. Just consult legal advice in advance to be sure, if you and your spouse are one of those 18,000 CA gay couples and you plan to relocate to DC.
Currently there is no recognition in the Maryland suburbs of the DC area unlike in DC itself. Although MD gov O’Malley just stated that he thinks that MD should give that recognition. MD’s attorney general Doug Gansler believes that MD law should be changed to make give MD its own marriage equality.
JRjr – you’ve haven’t been screwed over twice. In fact, you’re doubly recognized.
if your marriage was performed in CA during the “window” during which it was legal, then your marriage is STILL legal in CA and it is ALSO now also recognized as legal in DC.
In the meantime, CA same-sex marriages* will always have that little “asterisk” by them (unless/until Prop 8 gets repealed).
The California ones are recognized, too.
Please, please stop being isolationist’s. Out of State also means, out of COUNTRY, e.g. all Canadian, Norwegian, Dutch, etc. are also recognized.
So the tally so far is: Obama grants Federal employees (only some) of the rights to their spouses… My federal employee husband still cannot get me covered under his medical benefits; DC recognizes out-of-district marriages… but not from California it seems; my state of residence (Maryland) might recongized out-of-state marriages… but not grant me the actual rights to be married here, nor possibly even recognition since my marriage license is from California.
What’s a guy to do? Besides cry!
So, my legal marriage in California is not recognized in DC? Screwed twice now. You’ve just gotta love it.
Maryland’s governor O’Malley said in a interview that he believes that Maryland should recognize same-sex marriages legal in other states. Prompting a friend to say great, but then why doesn’t MD have its own marriage equality.
Maryland is a state in charge of its own affairs and not a federal city like DC. But I hope that both DC and MD get full marriage rights ASAP.
Jeff, this isn’t the only site that has forgotten those 18,000. California has been known as the trendsetter for decades especially on social progress but Prop H8 pulled the state out of the 21st Century. That trendsetter label is now GONE! I’m going on a limb here but it looks like I am not the only one that was so shocked and discusted with California’s Prop 8 that its a way to get a sort of revenge and just write off now the state now. Just like they have done to everyone else for years. I used to live there. I know the ropes.
What about the 18,000+ married couples in California that remain LEGALLY married?