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Same-sex Marriage Legislation In The United States
In response to court action in a number of states, the United States federal government and a number of state legislatures passed or attempted to pass legislation either prohibiting or allowing same-sex marriage or other types of same-sex unions. On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in the case of ''Obergefell v. Hodges'' that a fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by the Fourteenth Amendment, and that states must allow same-sex marriage. Federal level In 1996, the United States Congress passed and President Bill Clinton signed Public Law 104-199, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Section 3 of DOMA defines "marriage" and "spouse" for purposes of both federal law and any ruling, regulation, or interpretation by an administrative bureau or agency of the United States government. The impact of Section 2 of DOMA, which relieves jurisdictions within the United States of any obligation to recognize same-sex relationships legally esta ...
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Same-sex Marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constituting some 1.35 billion people (17% of the world's population). In Andorra, a law allowing same-sex marriage will come into force on 17 February 2023. Adoption rights are not necessarily covered, though most states with same-sex marriage allow those couples to jointly adopt as other married couples can. In contrast, 34 countries (as of 2021) have definitions of marriage in their constitutions that prevent marriage between couples of the same sex, most enacted in recent decades as a preventative measure. Some other countries have constitutionally mandated Islamic law, which is generally interpreted as prohibiting marriage between same-sex couples. In six of the former and most of the latter, homosexuality itself is criminalized. There are rec ...
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X Mark
An X mark (also known as an ex mark or a cross mark or simply an X or ex or a cross) is used to indicate the concept of negation (for example "no, this has not been verified", "no, that is not the correct answer" or "no, I do not agree") as well as an indicator (for example, in election ballot papers or in maps as an x-marks-the-spot). Its opposite is often considered to be the check mark or tick (or the O mark used in Japan and Korea). In Japanese, the X mark (❌) is called "batsu" (ばつ) and can be expressed by someone by crossing their arms. It is also used as a replacement for a signature for a person who is blind or illiterate and thus cannot write their name. Typically, the writing of an X used for this purpose must be witnessed to be valid. As a verb, to X (or ex) off/out or to cross off/out means to add such a mark. It is quite common, especially on printed forms and document, for there to be squares in which to place x marks, or interchangeably checks. It is ...
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Domestic Partnership In Maine
Domestic partnerships were established in the state of Maine by statute in April 2004, taking effect on July 30, 2004. This placed Maine in the category of U.S. states that offered limited recognition of same-sex relationships, but not all of the legal protections of marriage, as Maine does not recognize common law marriages. According to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, "It is important to remember that a registered domestic partnership is NOT the same as a marriage and does not entitle partners to rights other than those for which the registry was intended. This registry is intended to allow individuals to have rights of inheritance as well as the right to make decisions regarding disposal of their deceased partners' remains." Rights of domestic partners According to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, P.L. 2003, c. 672, enacted by the Legislature and signed into law on April 28, 2004, establishes the concept of domestic partners in Maine law. ...
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Flag Of Maine
The flag of the state of Maine features Maine's state coat of arms on a blue field. In the center of the shield, a moose rests under a tall pine tree. A farmer and seaman represent the traditional reliance on agriculture and the sea by the state. The North Star represents the state motto: '' dirigo'' ("I Lead"). The design commonly used omits the circular ring prescribed by Maine Law as a part of the Maine Arms and moves the "Sea and Forest Scene" from the outside of the shield to the inside of the shield. There are no known flags of the State that conform to the official description. There are no official colors for the coat of arms, so variations in coloration can be seen in flags from different manufacturers. The blue field, however, is specified to be the same blue as in the flag of the United States. According to the official description, the flag should have a fringe of yellow silk and should have a blue and white silk cord attached at the spearhead. These embellishments a ...
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Same-sex Marriage In New Jersey
Same-sex marriage in New Jersey has been legally recognized since October 21, 2013, the effective date of a trial court ruling invalidating the state's restriction of marriage to persons of different sexes. In September 2013, Mary C. Jacobson, Assignment Judge of the Mercer Vicinage of the Superior Court, ruled that as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court's June 2013 decision in ''United States v. Windsor'', the Constitution of New Jersey requires the state to recognize same-sex marriages. The ''Windsor'' decision held that the federal government was required to provide the same benefits to same-sex couples who were married under state law as to other married couples. Therefore, the state court reasoned in '' Garden State Equality v. Dow'' that, because same-sex couples in New Jersey were limited to civil unions, which are not recognized as marriages under federal law, the state must permit civil marriage for same-sex couples. This ruling, in turn, relied on the 2006 decision of ...
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Flag Of New Jersey
The coat of arms of the state of New Jersey includes: *A shield with three plows, representative of New Jersey's agricultural tradition. *A forward-facing helmet. *A horse's head as the crest of the helmet. *The female figures Liberty and Ceres, representative of the state's motto (see next item). Liberty is holding a staff supporting a stylized Phrygian cap; Ceres is holding an overflowing cornucopia. *The streamer at the foot of the emblem contains the State Motto of New Jersey, "Liberty and Prosperity", and the year of statehood, 1776. It was originally designed by Pierre Eugene du Simitiere in 1777 and was modified slightly in 1928. The seal is the central motif in the flag of New Jersey and the great seal of the state of New Jersey. The coat of arms contains a horse's head; beneath that is a helmet, showing that New Jersey governs itself, and it has three plows on a shield to highlight the state's agriculture tradition, which shows why the state has the nickname "Garden ...
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Same-sex Marriage In New York
Same-sex marriage has been legally recognized in the U.S. state of New York since July 24, 2011 under the '' Marriage Equality Act''. The Act does not have a residency restriction, as some similar laws in other states do. It allows religious organizations to decline to officiate at same-sex wedding ceremonies. In 2006, the New York Court of Appeals ruled that the New York State Constitution does not require same-sex marriage rights and left the question of recognition to the State Legislature. Following the 2006 court decision, the New York State Assembly passed same-sex marriage legislation in 2007, 2009, and 2011. However, the New York Senate rejected such legislation in a 38–24 vote on December 2, 2009. In June 2011, same-sex marriage legislation passed both the House and the Senate; it was signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo on June 24, 2011, and took effect on July 24, 2011. New York became the sixth U.S. state, and the seventh U.S. jurisdiction (after the District of Colum ...
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Flag Of New York
Flag of New York may refer to: * Flag of the State of New York The coat of arms of the state of New York was formally adopted in 1778, and appears as a component of the state's flag and seal. The shield displays a masted ship and a sloop on the Hudson River (symbols of inland and foreign commerce), bord ... * Flags of New York City {{disambiguation ...
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Same-sex Marriage In Rhode Island
Same-sex marriage in Rhode Island has been legally recognized since August 1, 2013. The state had authorized a limited form of domestic partnerships from 2002 to 2011 and the formation of civil unions from 2011 until the state began recognizing same-sex marriages in 2013. Rhode Island was the last state in New England to legalize same-sex marriage. Legal history Same-sex marriage was first debated in the 1990s, but faced fierce opposition from the Catholic Church, which is influential in the state as Rhode Island has the highest proportion of Catholic residents of any state in the United States. Despite political opposition, Rhode Island began allowing unregistered domestic partnerships in 2002 that provided a small number of legal benefits to same-sex couples. For example, the surviving spouse in such a partnership, if a police officer, fire fighter, or correctional officer, could receive a death benefit. Domestic partners could adjust their state taxes to reflect the costs o ...
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Flag Of Rhode Island
The flag of the state of Rhode Island is white and consists of a gold Anchored Cross, anchor in the center (a symbol for hope) surrounded by thirteen gold stars (for the original 13 colonies and Rhode Island's status as the 13th state to ratify the United States Constitution, Constitution). A blue ribbon below the anchor bears the state's motto in gold: "HOPE". The flag is frequently depicted with golden fringe around the edges of the flag, although the fringe is never actually on the flag unless it is used in federal-level displays, much like the Flag of the United States, national flag. History The present flag of the state of Rhode Island was formally adopted in 1897. As early as the 1640s, the anchor and "hope" were found on the Rhode Island Seal, and the seal's words and emblems were likely inspired by the biblical phrase "hope we have as an anchor of the soul," found in Hebrews (Bible), Hebrews, Verse 6:18-19. Rhode Island's earliest colonists were fleeing persecution in M ...
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Same-sex Marriage In Vermont
Same-sex marriage in Vermont has been legal since September 1, 2009. Vermont was the first state to introduce civil unions on July 1, 2000, and the first state to introduce same-sex marriage by enacting a statute without being required to do so by a court decision. Same-sex marriage became legal earlier as the result of court decisions, not legislation, in four states: Massachusetts, California, Connecticut, and Iowa. Background Either by legislation or court decisions, Vermont was a leader among U.S. jurisdictions in protecting the rights of gays and lesbians in the 1990s. In 1990, it was one of the first states to enact hate crime legislation that included sexual orientation. In 1992, it added sexual orientation to its anti-discrimination statute. In 1993, the Vermont Supreme Court in a unanimous ruling established second-parent adoption rights allowing someone in a same-sex relationship to adopt his or her partner's biological children. When the Vermont General Assembly reforme ...
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Flag Of Vermont
The flag of the state of Vermont displays the coat of arms and motto of Vermont ("Freedom and Unity") on a rectangular blue background. The Vermont General Assembly adopted this flag on June 1, 1923. Multiple versions of the flag have been used throughout history. Originally, the flag was the flag of the Green Mountain Boys. It was then changed to look similar to the flag of the United States, with red and white stripes and a blue canton. It was changed again to be dissimilar to avoid confusion. Proposals have been considered to revert the flag to the Green Mountain Boys' design, but none have succeeded. Symbolism The flag consists of the state's coat of arms and motto on a field of azure. While the pine needle supporters of the coat of arms are represented throughout New England and symbolizes the small pine branches worn at the battle of Plattsburgh near the end of the War of 1812, the pine tree in the middle of the coat of arms represents the Vermont forests. The cow and ...
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