Supreme Court Ruling on Same-Sex Marriage
July 24, 2015
Status Updates Following U.S. Supreme Court DecisionOn June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges, finding that same-sex couples have the legal right to marry in all U.S. jurisdictions and that states must recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. In compliance with Obergefell, the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL) will recognize same-sex marriages in the implementation of laws governing the pension plan. For active members and retirees who have named their same-sex spouse as a beneficiary and would like to update their status to “Spouse,” the steps below should be followed.
Active Members
- Complete a new Beneficiary Designation for Non-Retired Members (Form 3), restating your named same-sex spouse beneficiary and identifying him or her as “Spouse” in the Relation column.
- A copy of your marriage license is not necessary; TRSL will request a copy of it in instances when it is necessary. However, if you would like to provide TRSL with a copy of your marriage license, we will place it in your record.
- Submit a letter signed by you to TRSL which:
1. Restates your named beneficiary;
2. Requests that his or her status be updated to “Spouse;" and
3. Encloses a copy of your marriage license OR if you have previously provided TRSL with your marriage license, state that your marriage license is on file.