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DC Council gives final approval to same-sex marriage bill

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] The Council of the District of Columbia on Tuesday gave final approval to a bill that would allow same-sex marriages to be performed in Washington, DC. The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009 passed with a vote of 11-2, despite opposition from the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, which has pledged to end social services if the bill becomes law. The bill will now go before DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, who has promised to sign it, after which the US Congress would have 30 legislative days to veto it under the Home Rule Act. If Congress fails to act, the bill will then become law at the expiration of that time. Council members Marion Barry and Yvette Alexander cast the dissenting votes. Last month, the District of Columbia Board of Election and Ethics ruled that the Jury and Marriage Act (JAMA), which allows DC to recognize same-sex marriages performed legally in other jurisdictions, could not be challenged by a ballot initiative because overturning the law would violate the DC Human Rights Act. JAMA took effect in July after congressional inaction. If the marriage bill becomes law, DC will become the sixth US jurisdiction to recognize marriage between same-sex couples. Same-sex marriage is currently legal in four states in the US - Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, and Vermont - and will be legal in New Hampshire starting January 1.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on December 15, 2009 (boomark / email).