Recent news and commentary

Constitutional amendments

Maryland Delegate Don Dwyer "tried to attach an amendment prohibiting same-sex marriages onto a bill that would increase marriage license fees in Baltimore city." Dwyer recently failed in his attempt to impeach state Attorney General Doug Gansler for issuing an opinion upholding state recognition of out-of-state, same-sex marriages." (Baltimore Sun, cross-posted by ADF Alliance Alert) Dwyer has a history of generating controversy. He wanted to impeach Judge Brooke Murdock after she ruled Maryland's ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional."

Federal DOMA

"Rep. Linda T. Sanchez (D-Lakewood), who is a member of the House Subcommittee on Social Security, announced that she would sponsor legislation to provide equal Social Security benefits for same-sex couples." (LA Times AP, HRC Back Story, and Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center)

Same-sex couples married in Vermont can expect to face an additional burden when filing their taxes. "The complication adds about two or three more hours to file a tax return, compared to a heterosexual couple’s return - and at least $200 more to the bill if an accountant is hired," said Richard Wolfish, a partner and certified public accountant at Gallagher Flynn and Co. in Burlington. (Burlington Free Press)

Developments abroad

Iceland may become the next country to enact a marriage equality law. (Gay Rights Change.org and Straight Talk on Marriage)

"Mexico City’s mayor says he will defend the capital’s gay-marriage law and insists the ordinance will take effect in March despite an appeal by federal prosecutors." (AP, cross-posted by Gay Marriage Watch)

"The Portuguese Constitutional Court has given its approval to a measure that will make same-sex marriage legal and would come into effect just ahead of a visit to the Portugal by Pope Benedict XVI." (Lez Get Real)

Related News

Restore Equality 2010 has failed to meet a required deadline to collect at least 700,000 petition signatures for an initiative that would repeal Prop. 8. (LGBT POV) "In the end, it turns out that we probably were a little smarter than those folks who decided to sit out," said Sean Bohac, San Diego coordinator for Restore Equality. "The polls that have been released lately indicate that the next time we go to the ballot, we’re going to repeal Prop. 8." (San Diego Union-Tribune)

"Marriage on Trial: Should the law limit marriage to a union between a man and a woman?" will be debated (on April 13th) at Providence College's '64 Hall at the Slavin Center. The debaters are constitutional law scholars Gerard V. Bradley and William Eskridge. (The Providence Journal) (04/21/10: BostonEdge reports on the debate.)

Maggie Gallagher, president of the National Organization for Marriage, "spoke to a full house at Franciscan University of Steubenville, [Ohio,] April 6, 2010, on "The Future of Marriage: Why (and How) Christians Must Engage the Same-Sex Marriage Debate."(press release, Franciscan University of Steubenville) Here is the audio recording.