The state was the first to pass a law permitting civil unions without a prior court proceeding.

The law permits unions with a minimum of 30 members to be formed and allows strikes if a notice period is given.

While a recent case in the Netherlands was commonly read as demonstrating that Dutch law permitted multiple-partner civil unions, this belief is mistaken.

Both of these laws permitted polygamous unions.

He says he does not believe that the Bible permits such unions, but he pointedly rejects a government ban on them.