Maryland to Review Out-of-State Gay Marriages

Maryland attorney general Douglas Gansler is considering whether the state can recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere, with an opinion expected in the next few weeks, reports the Associated Press. Gansler, a Democrat, supports marriage equality, while Gov. Martin O'Malley, also a Democrat, favors civil unions for same-sex couples.

If Maryland were to recognize same-sex marriages performed outside the state, it would join New York and Washington, D.C., which currently provide hundreds of rights, benefits, and responsibilities to couples married outside those jurisdictions.

Maryland law defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, but the state also adheres to a principle that generally recognizes the marriages of couples married outside its jurisdiction. The state does not have civil unions, and efforts to legalize same-sex marriage through judicial or legislative avenues thus far have stalled.