The Chicago Sun-Times published an article about the Supreme Court ruling to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and the effect it will have on same-sex couples in Illinois. Because the ACLU of Illinois has been fighting for the freedom to marry in the courts and in the legislature, the Sun-Times spoke with our Communications and Public Policy Director Ed Yohnka:

Without a court ruling or change in Illinois state law, however, the Supreme Court’s Wednesday decision means Illinois couples would not have access to benefits enjoyed by legally married couples.

“What this underscores is what we now have is a situation where there will be people in Minnesota or Iowa that have benefits that will not be extended to couples in Illinois,” Yohnka said. “Even having a civil union does not carry with it 1,100 areas of federal law where being married either offers protections or extends particular benefits.”

Read the entire article.

"After DOMA: What it Means For You" LGBT Organizations Fact Sheet Series details many of the ways federal agencies accord legal respect to married same-sex couples. The guide includes 14 factsheets on the following topics: Bankruptcy, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Federal Employee Benefits, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Immigration, Medicaid, Medicare, Military Spousal Benefits, Private Employment Benefits, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Taxes, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Veteran Spousal Benefits.

There are more than 1,100 places in federal law where a protection or responsibility is based on marital status. The ruling striking down DOMA will not be effective until 25 days from the decision, but even when effective, federal agencies—large bureaucracies—may need and take some time to change forms, implement procedures, train personnel, and efficiently incorporate same-sex couples into the spousal-based system. Until same-sex couples can marry in every state in the nation, there will be uncertainty about the extent to which same-sex spouses will receive federal marital-based protections nationwide. For federal programs that assess marital status based on the law of a state that does not respect marriages of same-sex couples, those state laws will likely pose obstacles for legally married couples and surviving spouses in accessing federal protections and responsibilities.

The fact sheet series was produced together by: American Civil Liberties Union, Center for American Progress, Family Equality Council, Freedom to Marry, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, Human Rights Campaign, Immigration Equality, Lambda Legal, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and OutServe-SLDN.

Implementation of federal rights, benefits, and protections will vary from state to state and on an individual basis. We encourage you to consult a legal or tax professional to determine the best next steps you can take. These resources are intended to provide an educational overview, not to serve as legal advice or a guide for making personal financial decisions.

Learn more about the ACLU of Illinois' efforts to win the freedom to marry for all Illinoisans through legislation and litigation.

Following historic Supreme Court decisions that struck down the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and restored the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in California, Illinois Unites for Marriage released the following statements:

On U.S. v. Windsor:

Today, the highest court in the United States struck down the core of the Defense of Marriage Act, affirming that all committed, loving couples need the respect and dignity of marriage. Today’s historic decision means that thousands of married lesbian and gay couples, in states where the freedom to marry is recognized, can better protect one another and their children. Now more than ever, it’s time for Illinois to join those states on the right side of history and grant those families the federal safety net that marriage can now provide them. The Illinois House of Representatives must act quickly and address this inequity by passing Senate Bill 10 in the upcoming veto session. Illinois cannot stand idle while the momentum for marriage continues across the country, and Illinois Unites will continue to work on winning the freedom to marry for all Illinois families.

On Hollingsworth v. Perry:

Illinois Unites is extremely happy for California, a state that now re-joins the momentum for marriage that is happening across the country. Today’s ruling now places a full 30% of the American public in jurisdictions that grants same-sex couples the freedom to marry. We urge the Illinois House of Representatives to add the Land of Lincoln to the growing roster of states that grant same-sex couples the dignity and respect of marriage. The House should act quickly to pass Senate Bill 10 and make Illinois the next state to extend the freedom to marry to our gay and lesbian friends, neighbors, colleagues and family members.