When was gay marriage legalized in ohio

This constitutional amendment defined marriage as “a union between one man and one woman.” The ban went into effect on December 2, 2004.

The Supreme Court Ruling on Marriage Equality

The legal landscape for same-sex marriage was altered by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. The code cannot be enforced, but it could come back to life if a future decision changes the constitutional interpretation by the Supreme Court.

While this is hypothetically possible, Joakim said it is improbable.

"If someone can't benefit from the legal privileges that come along with marriage because of who they fall in love with, is that really equality? Right after the decision was issued, our Ohio Supreme Court actually came out and directed courts,“ Joakim said. Same-sex married couples in the state possess all the same rights and responsibilities as opposite-sex married couples.

Anita Somani (D-Dublin) and Eric Synenberg (D-Beachwood) reintroduced a House joint resolution known as the Marriage Equality Act, which would have also placed a constitutional amendment on the 2026 ballot if approved by the General Assembly. This case consolidated several lawsuits, including one from Ohio, alongside cases from Michigan, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

The central question was whether the Fourteenth Amendment required states to license and recognize same-sex marriages.

The Court ruled 5-4 that the right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Supporters point to recent Ohio ballot measures as evidence that voters are willing to weigh in on major social issues.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. The ruling invalidated all state statutes and constitutional amendments that barred same-sex couples from marriage.

When Marriage Equality Became Law in Ohio

Marriage equality became legal in Ohio on June 26, 2015.

We are here for the movement and not the moment, and that does mean having deep conversations."

Supporters have their work cut out for them to hit the July 1, 2026 deadline to make the November 2026 ballot.

Someone approached me with a clipboard.

“The only way to take that constitutional amendment out of the constitution is for the voters of Ohio to be given the opportunity to vote again to remove that,” he said.

While a federal law passed in 2022, the Respect for Marriage Act, would require Ohio to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states, it would not require the state to issue new marriage licenses if Obergefell was reversed and Ohio’s ban reinstated.

Ohio lawmakers have also explored a legislative route to protect marriage equality, though that effort has stalled.

For many years, the legal recognition of same-sex relationships faced considerable challenges within the state. Basically, it urges caution for judges before making decisions that could make dramatic changes.

“If the practical impact is to reverse or annul or put into question the validity of millions of people who have married since 2015, that's a really drastic outcome,” Joakim said.

The group has said a statewide signature drive is expected to ramp up in January.

Advocates say the effort is driven by concerns that the Supreme Court could still revisit Obergefell. After so many years and tens of thousands of same-sex marriages in Ohio, the letter of the law still states that marriage can only be between one man and one woman.

This was a surprise to Cory Slack, a disability rights advocate who often spends time reading the Ohio Revised Code as part of his job.

That’s because of the legal principle known as stare decisis, which favors legal precedent and a stable, consistent system of laws. He has urged voters to take action at the state level to protect marriage equality regardless of future court rulings. In 2023, Ohio voters approved constitutional amendments establishing abortion rights and legalizing recreational marijuana.

One day he was looking at the marriage section and was shocked to see the language was not changed.

When Slack shared his discovery with friends, he learned that many didn’t know the code still said marriage was only for one man and one woman.