Louisiana’s National Guard followed Texas and began registering same-sex partners of military personnel.
“Officials from the Louisiana National Guard have finally made the right decision, and we are satisfied with the outcome,” said Stephen Peters, president of American Military Partner Association. “However, this situation only highlights the bigger issue that still needs to be addressed. There are still major conflicts between state and federal laws where states have codified discrimination against gay and lesbian Americans into state laws and constitutions. This is yet another stark reminder of how far we have yet to go to achieve our nation’s promise of ‘liberty and justice for all.’”
After Texas first began refusing to register same-sex partners, Louisiana soon followed along with Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Florida.
Texas changed its policy on Friday.
States that refused to follow Defense Department policy could have lost federal funding and equipment.
Registration of partners is completed on a federal computer system that is placed in National Guard facilities and is funded entirely by the federal government.
