Maryland to Recognize Same Sex Marriages From Other States

Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler says the state will recognize same sex marriages performed in other states and he has advised agencies to immediately begin offering such couples with the same benefits as those available to married heterosexuals.

The attorney general's legal opinion means Maryland will join the District of Columbia and a handful of other states in recognizing gay marriages in four New England states and Iowa. But it also provoked an emotional reaction on both sides of the issue that could carry over to the November elections in Maryland, The Washington Post said. A court challenge is also likely, as even Gansler acknowledged.

The Catholic archbishops of Baltimore and Washington said they took "strong exception" to the opinion. Some Republicans and socially conservative Democrats also protested. But gay rights advocates hailed it as another step toward legalized same-sex marriage in the state.

Gansler, a Democrat who supports gay marriage, acted under his authority as legal adviser to state agencies and in response to a request from a state legislator for a legal opinion. The attorney general's declaration has implications for health benefits, inheritance and child support.

"I am confident that the attorney general and his office will provide all necessary advice to state agencies on how to comply with the law," said Gov. Martin O'Malley of Maryland.

In a 50-page opinion, nine months in the making, Gansler said a starting principle of state law indicates a marriage that is valid in the place where it's performed remains valid in Maryland -- this, even though Maryland law defines marriages performed inside the state as being between a man and a woman.