National Briefing

Same-sex couples began holding hastily planned weddings as the state became the third to allow gay marriage. Within hours of a state Supreme Court ruling taking effect, several same-sex couples had exchanged vows on the steps of the Polk County administration building in Des Moines.

On April 3, the Iowa justices upheld a lower-court ruling that rejected a state law restricting marriage to a union between a man and woman. The decision added Iowa to the list of states where gay marriage is legal, joining Massachusetts and Connecticut. A Vermont law allowing gay marriage will take effect in September.

Foes will try to reverse the ruling by changing the constitution.