Connecticut Governor M Jodi Rell signed legislation Thursday that codified same sex marriage in accordance with a 2008 court ruling. The bill removes all gender references from the state’s marriage laws, allows for recognition of same sex marriages performed in other states, and will transform all civil unions in the state into marriages unless the couple has divorced or is in the process of separation as of October 2010. The state legislature voted in favor of the bill earlier this week.
The Connecticut State Supreme Court ruled in October 2008 that banning same-sex marriage violated the state constitution. Connecticut began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples shortly thereafter.
State Representative Mike Lawlor said in a press release “For ten years the people of Connecticut have considered whether and how to legally recognize the committed relationships of same-sex couples. Over time, public opinion acknowledged a simple fact: committed gay and lesbian couples deserve the same recognition as committed straight couples.”
