Full Faith and Credit Clause

This groundbreaking book examines in detail relations between the states and the roles of United States Congress and Supreme Court in determining the nature of such relations--a distinguishing characteristic of a federal system. The neglect of interstate relations by scholars is surprising in view of the long and ongoing struggle between state power and federal power in the U.S. This new text provides a comprehensive examination of interstate relations, with up-to-date information and analysis relative to interstate suits, full faith and credit, privileges and immunities, tax exportation by states, interstate business competition, and interstate trade barriers. In addition, the work proposes a new model for improving interstate relations in the U.S. This important text will be of interest to scholars and students in American government and politics, state government and politics, and intergovernmental relations.

In November 1998, the Hawaii and Alaska electorates voted to amend their state constitutions so that same-sex marriages would not have to be recognized. Rather than end the controversy surrounding same-sex marriages, the passage of these amendments will only spur more litigation, because the referenda themselves implicate constitutional guarantees and because amending a state constitution cannot lessen federal constitutional protections. Since same-sex marriages promote many of the same individual and state interests that opposite-sex marriages do, states will be unable to justify their same-sex marriage bans if those rationales are closely examined. When challenged, the recent constitutional amendments in Hawaii and Alaska may well be held unconstitutional by the state supreme courts on federal constitutional grounds, although ultimately the United States Supreme Court will likely be asked to resolve the relevant issues.

Zimmerman places in perspective the important roles played by interstate compacts and interstate administrative agreements in the governance systems of the United States. Compacts are identified and classified by type. Particular emphasis is placed on federal government promotion of compacts including the U.S. Congress enactment of federal-state compacts, in which the federal government joins member states as partners to achieve stated goals.