The California Supreme Court handed down a major decision yesterday, declaring that same-sex couples have the constitutional right to marry. (text of the opinion via the NYT)

The 4-3 decision referenced a decision 60 years ago that overturned state laws prohibiting interracial marriages, something many Hawaii residents should care about. Massachusetts is the only other state whose Supreme Court has ruled that same-sex couples can be married.

Kenji Yoshino of Slate has a good straight-forward write-up on why the decision is so significant, how it differs from the 2003 Massachusetts high court decision and what could happen next.

The decision becomes effective in 30 days, but some worry that it may be short-lived. Opponents who support traditional marriage are pushing to put a measure on the ballot in California in November that would ban same-sex marriage.

You’ll find no shortage of news and analysis regarding the California Supreme Court’s decision today, including what it may mean for the presidential election. A plethora of same-sex couples rushing to get married in California before the ruling is potentially overturned in November could make same-sex marriage a galvanizing issue for Republicans before Election Day.

Younger citizens, more of whom are getting involved with the election this year, seem to be more accepting of same-sex marriage, but the question remains: will they vote?

It should be interesting to see what happens in California in November, but also to see if the decision causes ripples in the same-sex marriage debate in Hawaii. Our state provides some marriage-like rights to same-sex couples but does not allow same-sex marriage or civil unions. In the 1990s, Hawaii seemed poised to become the first state to allow same-sex marriages, but in 1998, nearly 70 percent of Hawaii voters chose to give the state legislature the power to define marriage as between a man and a woman.

People have compared that to what happened in California in 2000 — the last time the same-sex marriage issue was put to California voters. That year, 61 percent voted to strengthen the state’s one-man, one-woman marriage law.

That was one of the statutes struck down yesterday.

Throwing it out there: Is the California Supreme Court’s decision something to be celebrated or mourned?

Or is it too soon to say?

photo: AFP