(Boston, Massachusetts) Just weeks before same-sex marriages become legal in Massachusetts, three state lawmakers Thursday filed legislation to repeal a 1913 law that bars non-residents from marrying in Massachusetts if the marriage would violate laws in their home state.
"When they give addresses to the clerks, they're not required to give proof of those addresses, and so it is not a part of the law that we are applying today, and it should not be a part of the law that we are applying solely to same-sex couples," said Rep. Robert Spellane, the author of the bill.
The law was originally enacted to stop out-of-state interracial couples from marrying in the Bay State but has rarely been invoked.
"A bill that was used against interracial couples is now going to be used against same-sex couples. That speaks volumes about what is really going on here," said Arline Isaacson, of the Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus.
Gov. Mitt Romney, Attorney General Thomas Reilly and other gay marriage opponents have told local clerks that they are expected to follow the law, but many, including the clerk in Provincetown, say they will not check to be sure the addresses people give on license applications are legitimate. Although, some Justices of the Peace say they will resign rather than perform weddings for same-sex couples.
Earlier this week, another member of the legislature filed a bill that would fire the Supreme Judicial Court justices who ruled in favour of gay marriage.
Lawmakers are in little mood to consider anything relating to same-sex marriage as the current session winds down. Earlier this year in two marathon sessions marked by acrimonious debate the legislature approved the first step in amending the state constitution to a gay marriage.
by Margo Williams, 365Gay.com News centre, Boston Bureau, ©365Gay.com® 2004
Mass. Tries To Repeal Law Banning Out Of State Marriages
“A bill that was used against interracial couples is now going to be used against same-sex couples.”
(Boston, Massachusetts) Just weeks before same-sex marriages become legal in Massachusetts, three state lawmakers Thursday filed legislation to repeal a 1913 law that bars non-residents from marrying in Massachusetts if the marriage would violate laws in their home state.
"When they give addresses to the clerks, they're not required to give proof of those addresses, and so it is not a part of the law that we are applying today, and it should not be a part of the law that we are applying solely to same-sex couples," said Rep. Robert Spellane, the author of the bill.
The law was originally enacted to stop out-of-state interracial couples from marrying in the Bay State but has rarely been invoked.
"A bill that was used against interracial couples is now going to be used against same-sex couples. That speaks volumes about what is really going on here," said Arline Isaacson, of the Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus.
Gov. Mitt Romney, Attorney General Thomas Reilly and other gay marriage opponents have told local clerks that they are expected to follow the law, but many, including the clerk in Provincetown, say they will not check to be sure the addresses people give on license applications are legitimate. Although, some Justices of the Peace say they will resign rather than perform weddings for same-sex couples.
Earlier this week, another member of the legislature filed a bill that would fire the Supreme Judicial Court justices who ruled in favour of gay marriage.
Lawmakers are in little mood to consider anything relating to same-sex marriage as the current session winds down. Earlier this year in two marathon sessions marked by acrimonious debate the legislature approved the first step in amending the state constitution to a gay marriage.
by Margo Williams, 365Gay.com News centre, Boston Bureau, ©365Gay.com® 2004