Judge strikes down Defense of Marriage Act provision in state employees' case
Source: Marin Independent Journal
Judge strikes down Defense of Marriage Act provision in state employees' case
Bay City News Service
OAKLAND -- A federal judge ruled Thursday that the state's public-employee pension system must make long-term care insurance equally available to same-sex spouses and partners.
U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken said a provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, is unconstitutional to the extent that it limits same-sex spouses of state workers in obtaining the insurance.
The provision of the 1996 DOMA law defines marriage as "a legal union of a one man and one woman as husband and wife."
It has been used to bar gay and lesbian spouses from obtaining a variety of federal benefits.
Read more: http://www.marinij.com/ci_20706868/judge-strikes-down-defense-marriage-act-provision-state
LynneSin
(95,337 posts)And this took a mighty big chunk out of it today!
justiceischeap
(14,040 posts)Supreme Court justices will decide this matter and if RMoney or some other repub is allowed to stack the court, the LGBTQ community is screwn!
William769
(55,142 posts)Initech
(100,028 posts)One day that POS will be declared unconstitutional - but we're chipping away at it bit by bit.