Supreme Court Rules DOMA Unconstitutional

The Supreme Court has ruled that Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional, the Huffington Post reported Wednesday.

DOMA, a 1996 law, defined civil marriage as "a legal union between one man and one woman" for the purpose of more than 1,000 federal laws and programs.

The ruling means married, gay couples in Maryland will be entitled to tax benefits, legal privileges and other rights previously only available to heterosexual couples.

Maryland was one of three states to approve same-sex marriage at the ballot box in 2012, after a General Assembly bill was petitioned to referendum. Same-sex marriage is currently recognized by 12 states and the District of Columbia. In neighboring neighboring Delaware, a law recognizing same-sex marriage is set to go into effect on July 1.

Gov. Martin O’Malley responded to the ruling with the following statement:

“This ruling is a powerful step forward for those who live in states like Maryland. But the Court’s decisions make clear that there is still more work to do as a nation to achieve greater respect for the equal rights and human dignity of all.

“As Marylanders, and as Americans, we ultimately all want the same thing for our children: to live in a loving, stable, committed home protected equally under the law.”

Carroll County's Rep. Chris Van Hollen said that the ruling represents what makes America so great. 

“Today the Supreme Court affirmed the founding principle that makes American so great – that all of us are created equal, that we are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," Van Hollen said in a statement.  "By allowing the lower court’s decision striking down California’s Proposition 8 to take effect, the Court is allowing people across that state to make a legal commitment to the person they love – they join Maryland and 10 other states plus the District of Columbia in allowing marriage equality for loving families."

Van Hollen added that the battle for equality is not over. 

"These two rulings are a crucial victory, but the fight for marriage equality is not over. We will keep working until every American family has equal justice under the law," Van Hollen said.

Carroll County took to social media to weigh in on the issue.