Only Massachusetts and Connecticut provide same-sex couples the ability to "marry" offering all the rights and responsibilities of marriage under state (though not federal) law to same-sex couples.

Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Vermont provide the same benefits without the term "marriage".

California, Washington D.C., Hawaii, Maine, Oregon, Washington state and, most recently, Maryland have passed legislation offering protections like: medical and end-of-life decisions, hospital visitation, inheritance and property rights.