Legal Marriage Alliance of Washington

From the beginning, the primary focus on LMA has been public education. LMA has sent speakers to dozens of churches, schools, events, and other opportunities to speak about and put a human face on the marriage issue; it has launched a website that has become a clearinghouse for information about marriage rights for same-sex couples; it has coordinated substantial legal research on the rights and obligations under Washington law that are associated with marriage; and it has produced informational pamphlets on marriage rights and the potential effects of the marriage cases in other states.

LMA has provided many speakers for organizations seeking information about the marriage issue. It staffs information booths at Gay and Lesbian Pride and other community events, hosts a community listserv focused on marriage equality. It works with local and national media to provide information on marriage for same-sex couples and analysis and comment on related issues. LMA volunteers track a continuing flow of news items for other organizations and opinion leaders, and serve as a main source for news items featured on the Freedom to Marry website.

In 1996, 1997, and 1998, the Washington legislature actively considered bills that would ban recognition of marriages in Washington between same-sex couples lawfully entered into in other states. LMA participated in lobbying legislators to vote against these bills and was successful in 1996 and 1997. In 1998, when it became apparent that the bill was likely to pass, LMA raised funds from supporters and hired a lobbyist to help with its work in the legislature.