Arkansas Constitutional Amendment 3 (2004)
Encyclopedia
Constitutional Amendment 3 of 2004, is an amendment to the Arkansas Constitution
that makes it unconstitutional for the state to recognize or perform same-sex marriage
s or civil union
s. The referendum was approved by 75% of the voters.
The text of the amendment states:
Arkansas Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Arkansas is the governing document of the U.S. state of Arkansas. It was adopted in 1874, shortly after the Brooks-Baxter War replacing the 1868 constitution that had allowed Arkansas to rejoin the Union after the conclusion of the American Civil War; the new...
that makes it unconstitutional for the state to recognize or perform same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
s or civil union
Civil union
A civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
s. The referendum was approved by 75% of the voters.
The text of the amendment states:
- Marriage. Marriage consists only of the union of one man and one woman.
- Marital status. Legal status for unmarried persons which is identical or substantially similar to marital status shall not be valid or recognized in Arkansas, except that the legislature may recognize a common law marriage from another state between a man and a woman.
- Capacity, rights, obligations, privileges, and immunities. The legislature has the power to determine the capacity of persons to marry, subject to this amendment, and the legal rights, obligations, privileges, and immunities of marriage.