Bill to Alter Marriage Licenses “Dangerous Slippery Slope”
The Kentucky State Senate passed SB5, a bill that would remove the name and title of the county clerk or deputy clerk from all marriage licenses. Of note, the Senate failed to add a bipartisan supported amendment that would create check boxes on one form for “bride,” “groom,” or “party,” rather than require separate forms for same-sex couples.
Michael Aldridge, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, had this comment:
“Separate forms for gay and lesbian Kentuckians constitute unequal treatment under the law. Pure and simple, this bill is motivated by the desire to accommodate discrimination against same-sex couples.
The legislature is setting a dangerous slippery slope precedent by catering to one specific religious belief and privileging that over others. The right thing would be to ensure that all government officials, who have taken an oath to uphold the Constitution and laws of the state, carry out the duties of their job. Sen. Morgan McGarvey’s proposed amendment offers a reasonable way forward; we hope lawmakers in the House will fix the shortcomings in this legislation in order to treat all Kentuckians fairly and equally.
Our goal throughout the litigation on Miller v. Davis has been to ensure that all couples throughout the State of Kentucky receive valid marriage licenses. We will continue to remain vigilant to ensure that all loving couples can access the rights they’re entitled to under the law. That means that everyone, regardless of how they identify, can access the same form.”
Today’s debate and vote comes on the heels of Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin’s recent executive order altering marriage licenses and in response to the ongoing Miller v. Davis case, in which the ACLU is defending the rights of couples who were turned away from the Rowan County clerk’s office to receive valid marriage licenses, as they are legally entitled.
More information about the bill is available at:
http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/16RS/SB5/bill.pdf
More information on Miller v. Davis is available at:
https://www.aclu.org/cases/miller-v-davis
February 18, 2016 - 4:11pm
