New Report shows Utah to gain financially with legalization of same-sex marriage

A new report from the Williams Institute, a progressive think tank on the campus of UCLA, shows that Utah stands to gain significant financial advantage, increase tourism and create jobs if it were, in fact, to legalize same-sex marriage. The authors, E.G. Fitzgerald, Christy Mallory and M.V. Lee Badgett, have released a report entitled “Estimating…

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Beginning next week: Tenth Circuit to hear Utah, Oklahoma marriage equality cases

As the national spotlight on marriage grows ever brighter and polling continues to show Americans moving inexorably in the direction of supporting equality for same-sex couples, appeals on two cases challenging state constitutional marriage bans will be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in Denver this month.  On Thursday, April…

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Attorney General Eric Holder: ‘For purposes of federal law Utah same-sex marriages will be recognized as lawful’

WASHINGTON— Attorney General Eric Holder issued the following statement today on the status of same-sex marriages performed in the state of Utah: “Last June, the Supreme Court issued a landmark decision – in United States v. Windsor – holding that Americans in same-sex marriages are entitled to equal protection and equal treatment under the law. …

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Supreme Court stops same-sex marriages in Utah

Today the United States Supreme Court issued a stay temporarily suspending the issuance of marriage licenses to lesbian and gay couples in Utah. Hundreds of couples have been married since U.S. District Judge Robert J. Shelby ruled Dec. 20 that the state’s ban on such unions violated constitutional guarantees of equal protection and due process….

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New Utah attorney general will ‘spend whatever it takes’ to fight equal marriage

Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes has told reporters that the state is ready to appeal US District Judge Robert Shelby’s landmark ruling by taking it to the US Supreme Court. Just minutes after being sworn in on Monday, Reyes said, “We’re willing to spend whatever it takes to protect the laws and the will of…

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HRC on Utah’s same-sex marriage appeal: ‘Defending discrimination is indefensible’

WASHINGTON – The Utah Attorney General’s office has announced they would be continuing their appeal of a federal judge’s decision allowing marriage for lesbian and gay couples. With no other details, the AG’s office announced that they will bring in outside counsel at the expense of taxpayers.  HRC Vice President for Communications Fred Sainz issued the following…

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Same-sex couples break marriage records in Utah; state to appeal ruling to U.S. Supreme Court

The number of marriages in the state of Utah have broken all records since a federal judge overturned Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage a week ago. According to a report in  The Salt Lake Tribune, as of close of business Thursday, more than 1,225 marriage licenses had been issued in Utah since last Friday and…

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US district judge rules Utah ban on marriage equality unconstitutional

Today, Utah U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby ruled that the state’s ban on marriage equality is unconstitutional. In a 53-page decision, the court found that Utah’s marriage ban denies loving, committed lesbian and gay couples their “fundamental right to marry,” and that the ban lacks any “rational basis.” “This has been a banner year for marriage…

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