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Iowa court overturns ban on same-sex marriages
Source: Catholic News Service
Published: Saturday, April 04, 2009 DES MOINES, Iowa (CNS)—Iowa will become the third state to allow same-sex marriage, after the state Supreme Court April 3 invalidated a statute limiting marriage to one man and one woman.
 
In a unanimous 69-page ruling, the justices found that the 1998 statute violates the equal protection clause of the state constitution.
 
The ruling—which will enable local jurisdictions to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples—takes effect in three weeks, the court said.
 
The Des Moines Register daily newspaper reported that if Iowans choose to amend the constitution to enshrine a ban on same-sex marriage, the process would take about two years.
 
Massachusetts and Connecticut currently allow same-sex marriage.
 
Last May, California's Supreme Court overturned its statute barring same-sex marriage, but a constitutional amendment barring it was approved by voters in November. That state's Supreme Court is to issue a decision on a constitutional challenge to the ballot initiative.

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