Couples entitled to ‘constellation of benefits’
By Howard Fischer | Capitol Media Services via Arizona Capitol Times
A new ruling Monday by the U.S. Supreme Court could strengthen claims by gays that they’re entitled to more than just the right to marry.
In a 6-3 decision, the justices said their historic 2015 ruling stands for more than the fact that states may not limit the right to wed only to heterosexual couples. The majority in the unsigned opinion said that ruling also means that same-sex couples are entitled to “the constellation of benefits that the states have linked to marriage.”
The case out of Arkansas voids a state law there, which says that when a gay married couple gives birth, only the name of the biological mother is listed on the state-issued birth certificate. The justices noted that other Arkansas laws spell out that in opposite-sex marriages, the name of the husband is always listed on the birth certificate, even if the child is the product of artificial insemination.
