Alaska has never authorized or recognized a marriage between persons of the same gender. The legislature passed a law in 1996 specifically banning same-sex marriages.
1998: Jay Brause and Gene Dugan challenge the law. They have been together for over 20 years, and petititioned the state court to declare the 1996 law unconstitutional. A Superior Court judge ruled that the couple had the right to obtain a marriage license, and put the burden on Alaska state to prove why these two should not be issued one. In November of 1998, the public voted and approved Measure 2, which was an amendement to the state constitution that outlawed same-sex marriages, and allowed the legislature to pass any law it wished concerning marriage. Brause and Dugan’s case was dismissed in September of 1999.
1998: Jay Brause and Gene Dugan challenge the law. They have been together for over 20 years, and petititioned the state court to declare the 1996 law unconstitutional. A Superior Court judge ruled that the couple had the right to obtain a marriage license, and put the burden on Alaska state to prove why these two should not be issued one. In November of 1998, the public voted and approved Measure 2, which was an amendement to the state constitution that outlawed same-sex marriages, and allowed the legislature to pass any law it wished concerning marriage. Brause and Dugan’s case was dismissed in September of 1999.
