What if Vermont simply provided civil union licenses for everyone, and stayed “out of the marriage business?
We aren’t starting from scratch here. Since our nation’s founding, marriage has been licensed and regulated by the state. Abolishing civil marriage as a state-regulated institution would be a radical departure from our history—far more dramatic than simply tweaking our existing laws to include same-sex couples. Moreover, as a practical matter, such a move would subject heterosexual Vermont couples to the same barriers to federal legal protections and recognition in other states as same-sex couples currently face. Finally, many heterosexual Vermonters would lament the loss of their ability to be legally married, just as many gay, lesbian and bisexual Vermonters lament that we cannot, under current law, legally marry.
Related Questions
- How can I find information about birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage and civil union licenses?
- What if Vermont simply provided civil union licenses for everyone, and stayed "out of the marriage business?
- What information must we provide to get a marriage or civil union license in Vermont?
