
	Chris Mulick has worked for the Herald since 1998 and has served as the statehouse correspondent covering state government and politics since 2000. He works year-round out of the Herald's Olympia bureau on the state Capitol campus. Have a question? Send Chris an e-mail and he'll answer the best questions regularly.

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Thursday, May. 15, 2008

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UPDATE: Washington reaction on California gay marriage decision

California gay marriage decision 5/15/08

AP photo - San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and members of his staff react to the news that the California Supreme Court has overturned a ban on gay marriages, in his office in San Francisco, Thursday, May 15, 2008. The California Supreme Court overturned a voter-approved ban on gay marriage, paving the way for the state to become the second in the United States where gay and lesbian residents can marry. The justices released the 4-3 decision Thursday, saying that domestic partnerships are not a good enough substitute for marriage in an opinion written by Chief Justice Ron George.

The California state Supreme Court ruled today that gay couples can enter into marriage and you can read all about it here.

The developments are being watched here in Washington, where gay couples were allowed to begin entering into domestic partnerships just last year. Gay rights advocates continue to press changes to state law allowing same sex couples to enter into marriage. And the Legislature may be taking it up sooner rather than later.

Sen. Ed Murray, a Seattle Democrat and head of the Legislature’s informal gay caucus, said “this is a historic day – the goal of marriage is now closer than ever for same-sex couples in California. Here in our own state, we remain hopeful that our efforts to build a way to marriage through domestic partnerships will continue to win the support of lawmakers and citizens."

“The public increasingly agrees that it’s only fair to allow same-sex couples to marry," Murray said. "I’m confident that we’ll have a similar historic day in Washington, and I believe that day will come soon.”

Rep. Jim Moeller, D-Vancouver, echoed the sentiment.

“It marks a giant leap toward the day when all people in this country will have equal treatment under the law,” he said. “I am very pleased that our state has been a leader in domestic partnership laws, but I agree with the California Supreme Court that domestic partnerships are simply not an adequate substitute for marriage."

UPDATE: Stateline.org has posted a pretty comprehensive look at same sex marriage laws and prohibitions in other states and you can find it here.

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