Massachusetts Attorney General Martha
Coakley led a coalition of 14 states in filing a brief with the Ninth
Circuit Court of Appeals urging the court to strike down gay marriage
bans in Nevada and Hawaii.
“Our experience in Massachusetts
clearly shows that allowing same-sex couples to marry has only
strengthened the institution of marriage,” Coakley said. “We
urge the Courts to strike down these unconstitutional bans which only
serve to discriminate against gay and lesbian individuals and their
families.”
Thirteen states in addition to
Massachusetts joined in the brief, including California, Connecticut,
Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Mexico,
New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington, as well as the District of
Columbia. Neither Oregon nor Illinois allow gay couples to marry.
“[T]he states favor – and therefore
encourage – marriage over transient relationships because marriage
promotes stable family bonds, fosters economic interdependence and
security for members of the marital household, and enhances the
physical and emotional well-being of both the partners to the
marriage and their children. … All of these interests are furthered
by including same-sex couples from the institution.”
Nevada currently recognizes gay couples
with domestic partnerships, while Hawaii allows civil unions.
Neither union is recognized by the federal government, which does
recognize the legal marriages of gay couples pursuant to a Supreme
Court decision in June which struck down the Defense of Marriage Act
(DOMA).
Hawaii on Monday opens a special
session called by Governor Neil Abercrombie to consider a proposed
bill which would make Hawaii the 15th state to legalize
such unions.
(Related: In
Hawaii ad, NOM says agree with gay marriage or you'll be punished.)