Prop 8 Ruling and the Future

What comes after Judge Walker's ruling on Prop 8?

Nelson said that while there could be a flurry of action by activists as a result of District Court Judge Vaughn Walker’s decision, she doesn’t expect anything substantial or noteworthy to come about politically.

“I don’t see any real immediate response legislatively no matter what the Prop 8 decision looks like,” she said. “In some cases, what legislators can do is start the ball rolling. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s going to be any real immediate consequence to it.”

Five states and the District of Columbia allow for same-sex marriage. Other states have civil union laws.

But for 30 states, Nelson said, it will be next to impossible to get legislation on the table because those states have the Defense of Marriage Act on the books. Enacted by Congress in 1996, the act bars federal recognition of same-sex marriage and allows states the right to do so.