Montana gay rights activists laud high court decision

HELEA (AP) — Advocates for same-sex couples say their case seeking legal domestic partnership recognition in Montana will be helped by a U.S. Supreme Court decision on a related issue.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down a provision of a federal law denying federal benefits to married gay couples and cleared the way for the resumption of same-sex marriage in California.

The decision did not alter Montana's constitutional definition of marriage as being between a man and a woman or directly affect any of the state's laws.

But advocates suing the state to establish a registry of domestic partnerships for same sex couples say much of the reasoning in the high court case will buoy their arguments.

Gay marriage opponents argued the high court decision does nothing to change the legal landscape in Montana.