Out gay Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs law repealing marriage equality ban

Marriage equality is officially the law of the land in Colorado after Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed a law repealing a provision in the state constitution that banned marriage between same-sex couples.

Polis, an out gay man, signed SB25-014 into law Monday, also known as the Protecting the Freedom to Marry act. The bill repeals the provision in Colorado statute that states that marriage is valid only if it is between a man and a woman, which has been unenforceable since the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges.

“Colorado is for everyone, no matter who you are or who you love. Last November, the voters got rid of outdated language in our constitution that banned same-sex marriage," Polis said in a statement. "This is a long overdue step in the right direction and today’s law I’m signing ensures that Coloradans can marry who they love in our Colorado for all."

Colorado voters approved an amendment to the state constitution in 2006 that stated only the union of one man or one woman could be considered a valid or recognized marriage. Voters later passed an amendment to overturn the ban in 2024 with 63 percent in favor.

The new law ensures that even if the Supreme Court reverses Obergefell, marriage equality will still be legal in Colorado. Marriages between same-sex couples would still be recognized federally under the Respect for Marriage Act, which mandates that the federal government recognize same-sex and interracial marriages, and that all states recognize those performed in other states. However, the act does not require states to allow marriages between same-sex couples, allowing them to enact bans.

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While the Supreme Court has made no official move to reconsider marriage equality, nine states have recently introduced resolutions asking the court to hear the case again, citing similar constitutional amendments banning marriage between same-sex couples that were nullified by Obergefell.

Democratic State Senator Jessie Danielson, who introduced the bill in tandem with Democratic Representatives Brianna Titone and Lorena García, said in a statement that the law is especially important now as marriage equality comes under attack.

“The freedom to marry who we love is a fundamental right,” Danielson said. “I cannot sit back and allow Coloradans to have their marriages and families put at risk. It’s especially important now, as the Trump Administration attacks the LGBTQ community, to secure everyone’s right to live safely in our state, and marry whomever they love.”