Lincoln, Neb.
A federal judge last week struck down Nebraska’s ban on gay marriage, saying it “goes far beyond merely defining marriage as between a man and a woman.” District Judge Joseph Bataillon said a constitutional amendment, overwhelmingly approved by Nebraska voters in 2000, denies homosexuals many legal protections heterosexual couples enjoy. The marriage ban is written so broadly, Bataillon said, that it prohibits gay state employees from sharing health insurance with their partners, and interferes with the relationships of families with foster or adopted children. Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning said the state would appeal. “The citizens of this state have a right to structure their constitution as they see fit,” Bruning said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Why UK scientists are trying to dim the SunIn The Spotlight The UK has funded controversial geoengineering techniques that could prove helpful in slowing climate change
-
Gandhi arrests: Narendra Modi's 'vendetta' against India's oppositionThe Explainer Another episode threatens to spark uproar in the Indian PM's long-running battle against the country's first family
-
How the woke right gained power in the USUnder the radar The term has grown in prominence since Donald Trump returned to the White House
