The attorney general in Illinois announced that clerks around the state can start immediately issuing licenses for gay couples to marry, despite a law that says the ceremonies shouldn’t go forth until June.
Illinois legalized gay marriage, with the effective date set for June 1, 2014. Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan, however, issued guidance Tuesday that clerks don’t have to wait another three months — they can hand out the permits now, The Associated Press reported.
She made the decision based on a federal judge’s ruling in Chicago handed down last month that said the state’s ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional. That ruling only applied to Cook County — but Ms. Madigan took that line of logic and applied it to make her statewide decision.
She said that any same-sex couples requesting a marriage license in any county should be given one. Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn agreed, and said clerks across the state should follow Ms. Madigan’s guidance, AP said.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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