Alaska Supreme Court says Tax Exemptions Cannot Be Denied to Gay Couples
Photo Credit: Mel Green / Creative Commons
The decision in a lawsuit brought by three Anchorage same-sex couples represented a blow to the state, which had prevented gay and lesbian couples from taking advantage of a tax break for senior citizens and disabled veterans that, in some circumstances, takes into account marital status.
The ruling follows high-profile victories in recent months by gays and lesbians seeking the right to wed in several U.S. states.
Marriage rights have been extended to gay couples in 17 states and the District of Columbia in a trend that gained momentum when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last June that legally married same-sex couples nationwide are eligible for federal benefits.
In 1998, Alaska voters amended the state’s constitution to restrict marriage to between a man and a woman.
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