Saying the votes are there, Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie (D) called for a special session next month to allow lawmakers to act on legislation that would make the Aloha State the 14th to legalize same-sex marriage. The session has been scheduled for Oct. 28. "The decision to call a special session...

FALLIN BLOCKS SAME-SEX BENEFITS FOR GUARD: Saying she was honoring the wishes of Sooner State voters, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R) has ordered her state's National Guard units to stop processing requests for military benefits for same-sex couples. The directive comes after the Guard had previously...

BESHEAR ORDERS DEFENSE OF KY GAY MARRIAGE BAN: Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear (D) said the Bluegrass State would hire a private sector attorney to defend the state's ban on recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states. Beshear made the announcement last Tuesday shortly after state Attorney...

In a decision handed down on May 20th, Federal District Judge John E. Jones III struck down Pennsylvania's ban on same-sex marriage, concluding that "all couples deserve equal dignity in the realm of civil marriage." Whitewood v. Wolf , No. 1:13-CV-1861, 2014 U.S. Dist. Lexis 68771, at...

PENCE SAYS IN WON'T RECOGNIZE GAY MARRIAGES: The lead legal counsel for Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) announced last week that the Hoosier State will not recognize hundreds of same-sex marriages performed in June before a court ruling allowing those unions to go forth was struck down. In a memo sent...