Governor of Massachusetts Signs Repeal of Out-of Staters Marriage Ban

"...in Massachusetts, equal means equal! Today, by repealing a nearly century old law, we affirm the right of same sex couples from out-of-state to marry in Massachusetts, to enjoy all the protections of our good laws... today, by repealing this law, we have affirmed the democratic principal that all people come before their government as equals. We are also here to mark another milestone in our fight for equality, the passage of the MassHeath equality bill. This legislation will grant married same-sex couples in Massachusetts the same access to Medicaid benefits as heterosexual couples. The bill will protect the spouses of gay and lesbian seniors from the potentially catastrophic costs of long-term care... The MassHealth equality bill is the first piece of legislation in the Commonwealth to codify the Goodridge decision extending legal marriage and its protections, benefits, and obligations to same-sex married couples in our state. And it's the first piece of legislation in the nation to reject discrimination in the Federal Defense of Marriage Act. In five years now since the Goodridge decision the sky has not fallen, and the earth has not opened to swallow us up, and, more to the point, thousands and thousands of good people, contributing members of our society, are able to make free decisions about their personal choices. And we ought to seek to affirm that every chance we can." Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, July 31, 2008