State to state | The Salt Lake Tribune

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

In "Married, not married" (Forum, April 26), Brendayn Frye is correct about the growing domestic chaos from legally married gay couples moving around the country, and the problem will only get worse.

Last November, same-sex marriage won in state referendums in Maine, Maryland and Washington, bringing the total of "marriage equality" states to nine — oops, 10, now that the Rhode Island Legislature approved same-sex marriage.

Three other state legislatures are actively considering legalizing same-sex marriages: Delaware, Illinois and Minnesota. In Oregon, a petition drive will undoubtedly put a measure on the November 2014 ballot to overturn the Oregon Constitution's same-sex marriage ban.

Many other states allow domestic partnerships or civil unions that grant all the rights of marriage.

The U.S. Constitution guarantees that "Full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. And the Congress may by general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and proceedings shall be proved, and the effect thereof."

It's time for Congress to solve this problem by directing all states to recognize the same-sex marriages performed in states where it is legal.

Robert Johnson

Salt Lake City