Jurisdictions in the U.S. that offer civil unions or domestic partnerships granting nearly all of the state-recognized rights of marriage to same-sex couples include:
- domestic partnership in California (2000),

- civil unions in Vermont (2000),

- civil unions in Connecticut (2005),

- civil unions in New Jersey (2007) and
- civil unions in New Hampshire (effective 1 Jan 2008).
States in the U.S. with domestic partnerships or similar status granting some of the rights of marriage include:

- domestic partnerships in Hawaii (1997),
- domestic partnership in Maine (2004),

- domestic partnership in New Jersey (2004) (now available only for couples 62 and older)

- Washington (2007),

- Oregon (effective 1 Jan 2008), and

- domestic partnerships in District of Columbia (Washington, DC).

Massachusetts is the only state that offers same-sex marriage. Same-sex marriage was legalized in 2004 in Massachusetts, and on August 31, 2007 in Iowa. Until further court review, Iowa does not permit same sex marriage.

Due to the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), same-sex couples in marriages, civil unions, or domestic partnerships in the U.S. do not have the 1,138 rights that a married couple has under federal law.

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• On Tue 04/15 15:55, ecpark09 wrote...

  I support civil marriage for everyone. So what do I put? No opinion, agree, or disagree? I disagree with the statement, but not the sentiment, therefore I have an opinion and I don't want to click "agree."

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