The US Supreme Court may have recognized all marriage as equal Wednesday, but same-sex couple still can’t get married in Louisiana. Same-sex marriages that are valid in other states will not be recognized by the state if the couple chooses to move to Louisiana.
So what does this mean for Louisiana?
The decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act, orDOMA, because it clashes with constitutional ideals about equality, may establish an advantageous precedent for same-sex marriage advocates in the Pelican state.
But a law that was created by voters in California was struck down not because the court thinks it’s unjust, but because California refused to defend it.
Matthew Patterson is with Equality Louisiana, an organization that advocates equal rights, says that doesn’t mean much for Louisiana, where voters also instituted a ban in the state constitution.
“If I were a resident of California I would be super happy right now. The decision doesn’t directly affect us right now," Patterson said. "The big, big question is left for another day.”
Patterson says getting rid of the ban in Louisiana is unlikely for the time being. The ban would have to be lifted in the legislature, with a two-thirds vote, or through its own judicial process.
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