Louisiana
Relationship Recognition Information
| no | Licenses marriages for same-sex couples. |
| no | Honors marriages of same-sex couples from other jurisdictions. |
| no | Relationship recognition for same-sex couples: None. |
- 2004 The state’s Constitution is amended to say “Marriage in the state of Louisiana shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman. No official or court of the state of Louisiana shall construe this constitution or any state law to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any member of a union other than the union of one man and one woman. A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized. No official or court of the state of Louisiana shall recognize any marriage contracted in any other jurisdiction which is not the union of one man and one woman.” See Louisiana Constitution, Article XII, §15.
- 1999 Louisiana prohibits marriage between same-sex couples by statute. See Louisiana Civil Code Annotated, Articles 96 and 3520(B).
Employment Information
| no | Private employment protections based on sexual orientation. |
| no | Private employment protections based on gender identity. |
| yes | Public (state) employment protections based on sexual orientation. |
| no | Public (state) employment protections based on gender identity. |
See La. R.S. 23:332
- 2003 Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco issues an executive order banning discrimination based on sexual orientation against state employees, see Executive Order No. KBB 2004-54.
Parenting Information
| Who May Adopt | Single person or married couple jointly. La. CHC 1198, 1202 |
|---|---|
| Second Parent Adoptions | Not yet permitted |
| Notes | Case law forbids joint adoptions by unmarried heterosexual couples. Adoption of Meaux, 417 So. 2d 522 (La. App. 1982). Relatively unfriendly climate See Scott v. Scott, 665 So.2d 760 (La. App. 1 Cir. 1995) |
Cases
In re Cecil Little
Case arguing the right for a man living with HIV to receive care after being rejected from six nursing homes because of his HIV status
Ralph v. City of New Orleans
Case arguing to preserve insurance benefits for same-sex couples after they are threatened by antigay group
