Freedom to Marry Bills Expected to be Introduced in a Record 11 State

A record 11 statewide marriage bills are expected to be introduced in legislatures in the US in 2009. Reflecting the ever-increasing support for and enlarged conversation around the freedom to marry, this represents a 35% increase from just a year ago. While 2009 may not see success everywhere at once, were all those bills passed and signed into law, along with victories in the marriage cases before the state supreme courts in Iowa and California, then almost 40% of Americans would live in jurisdictions with equality in marriage.

Already 14 states have at least some kind of protections for gay couples: 2 states have ended the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage; 3 honor out-of-state marriages; 4 have civil unions or broad domestic partnership; and 5 have created some lesser legal status on the road to marriage equality.

• See where your state stands on ending marriage discrimination
• Find a local equality organization to get involved