Louisiana
The following is an overview of the laws of the state of Louisiana. It should not be used as legal advice and is provided as information only. Family Fairness does not warrant that this information is current or comprehensive.
Updated: 04/21/2009
Same-Sex Relationships
| Performs Same-Sex Marriages 2004 Constitutional amendment: "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." |
No |
| Recognizes Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriage 2004 Constitutional amendment: "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." |
No |
| Other Recognition: None 2004 Constitutional amendment: "A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized." |
No |
Gay and Lesbian Adoption
| Single LGBT Adoption State law permits any single person to adopt. LA. CHILD. CODE ANN. art.1198. |
Yes |
| Joint Same-Sex Adoption Courts have forbidden joint adoption by unmarried heterosexual couples (Adoption of Meaux, 417 So. 2d 522 (La. App. 1982)) and would probably be unfriendly to unmarried same-sex couples as well. |
No |
| Gay or lesbian adoption of a partner's child No explicit prohibition, but precedent seems to suggest that second parent adoptions are only permissible if the couple is married. |
No |
Housing Discrimination
| Protections on the basis of sexual orientation No explicit protections. |
No |
| Protections on the basis of gender identity No explicit protections. |
No |
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