Gay marriage questions and answers

June 25--COLUMBUS -- Under Scenario #1 -- States only have to recognize same sex marriages legally performed in other states:

Q. Will gay couples be allowed to marry in Ohio?

A. No. An amendment to the Ohio Constitution passed by voters in 2004 limits marriage to between one man and one woman and prohibits governments from recognizing same sex marriages. And state law contains the same prohibition. Those bans remain in place.

Q. Will gay couples married in other states have their marriages recognized in Ohio?

A. Yes. The U.S. Supreme Court decision negates the section of Ohio's constitutional amendment that bars recognition of legal gay marriages performed in other states. Ohio will have to recognize those marriages.

Q. What benefits does the government bestow upon married couples?

A. Married couples are entitled to benefits including the right to adopt children together, file joint tax returns, visit their spouses in hospitals and nursing homes, make health care and end-of-life care decisions for an incapacitated spouses, inherit assets and property when a spouse dies, and jointly apply for leases, loans, and other financial deals. Legal spouses may also aid a spouse's immigration and may obtain survivor benefits from pensions, Social Security and veterans services.

Q. Will employers have to offer benefits to the spouses of gay employees who were legally married in other states but are now working in Ohio?

A. Yes, if they don't already do so.

Q. Is there likely to be a statewide ballot issue in the near future to repeal Ohio's constitutional amendment that bans same sex marriages?

A. Yes. Gay rights groups and others will likely marshal forces to collect the required 306,000 valid voter signatures to place a constitutional amendment before the voters in 2016 or later.

Under Scenario #2 -- All states must allow and recognize same sex marriages.

Q. When will same sex marriage licenses be issued in Ohio? Are county probate courts ready to act immediately?

A. It depends on individual courts in each county but several probate courts have announced they're ready to issue licenses as soon as they're allowed to do so. Some are prepared to stay open late to handle the anticipated spike.

Q. What do gay couples need to do to get the marriage license from a county probate court?

A. Check the local county probate court website to see what documentation is required, how much the fee is, whether only cash is accepted, and what hours the court is open for business.

Q. Will houses of worship be required to perform gay marriages?

A. No. A separation of church and state in the constitution still stands and houses of worship will still have the right to decline to marry couples who don't meet their requirements.

Q. What will this mean for employee benefits?

A. Companies that provide health care insurance and other benefits to the spouses in heterosexual marriages would likely have to extend those benefits to employees in same-sex marriages.

Q. What benefits does the government bestow upon married couples?

A. Married couples are entitled to benefits including the right to adopt children together, file joint tax returns, visit their spouses in hospitals and nursing homes, make health care and end-of-life care decisions for an incapacitated spouses, inherit assets and property when a spouse dies, and jointly apply for leases, loans, and other financial deals. Legal spouses may also aid a spouse's immigration and may obtain survivor benefits from pensions, Social Security and veterans services.

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