Politics

Kentucky AG Won't Appeal Same-Sex Marriage Order—Gay Marriage News Roundup

Order requiring Kentucky to recognize out of state same-sex marriages will go into effect on March 20.

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The latest news: Kentucky's attorney general says that he will not appeal an order to recognize same-sex marriages from out of state. The order will take effect on March 20. 

Previous news on gay marriage: 

A group of Republicans from Western states are to urge the the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in Denver to rule gay marriage bans unconstitutional.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has responded to Reason's request for comment on a judge recently ordering Kentucky to recognize out of state same-sex marriages. Statement below:

I believe in the historic and religious definition of marriage.  I also believe this power belongs to the states and the people, not the federal government.  It is illegitimate for the federal courts to intrude here.

On Friday (2/28), the judge who ordered Kentucky to recognize same-sex marriages legally performed in other states put a three-week hold on his ruling.

On Thursday (2/27), Reason reached out to Brian Darling, a spokesman for Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), asking if the senator had a comment on the recent same-sex marriage ruling in Kentucky. At the time of writing Reason has yet to receive a comment. Darling said shortly after Reason contacted him that there was no comment from Paul "for now" and that he had not spoken to him about the ruling.  

On Thursday, the state of Texas appealed the ruling from a federal judge that declared the state's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional.

In Kentucky, the state's attorney general has requested a court order to recognize same sex-marriages from other states be delayed by 90 days so that Kentucky can decide whether or not to appeal.

Earlier this week, Texas became the latest state where a federal judge has ruled a state ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. That judge, Orlando Garcia, a Clinton appointee, immediately stayed his own ruling while a state appeal is working its way through the syste.

Related previous coverage from Reason:

Scott Shackford has written on whether gay marriage is to blame for straight couples getting kinky and on a federal judge's recent ruling against Virginia's ban on same-sex marriage.

Scott interviewed gay conservative activist Jimmy LaSalvia and asked him why he is turning his back on the GOP.

Steve Chapman on the myth of "traditional marriage."

Scott on why 2013 was America's gayest year so far.

Ed Krayewski on why gay marriage is one of the four issues Republicans could embrace this year to stay relevant.

More from Reason.com on gay marriage here.