Lawyers To Judge: Drop Stay In Arkansas Gay Marriage Case

LITTLE ROCK (AP) – Lawyers for gay couples challenging Arkansas’ same-sex marriage ban want a federal judge to drop a stay she imposed while tossing the prohibition last year.

In a court filing Wednesday, the lawyers cite recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions to not grant stays in other states. They say U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker should let Arkansas clerks issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

They’re asking Baker to give the state only five days to respond and then rule quickly.

A spokesman for Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge did not have an immediate comment.

Arkansas’ Supreme Court is also considering a separate case challenging the same-sex marriage ban approved by voters in 2004. For a time last May, same-sex marriages were legal in Arkansas and 541 gay couples received licenses.

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Indiana Senate Committee Rams Through Religious Rights Bill

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Republicans on an Indiana Senate committee didn’t wait for the Democratic members to arrive Wednesday before pushing through a contentious proposal supporters say would ensure people and businesses could refuse services for same-sex weddings because of religious beliefs.

The Senate Judiciary Committee’s seven Republicans all voted in favor of the bill soon after the 8:30 a.m. meeting time without the three Democratic members present. Committee Chairman Brent Steele, R-Bedford, said he had announced to senators Tuesday that the panel had numerous bills to consider and needed to start on time.

“I would’ve started business with any quorum I got, whether it was Republican or Democrat or cows or horses,” Steele told The Associated Press after Wednesday’s meeting.

Democratic Sen. John Broden of South Bend said he would have voted against the bill but ran about 15 minutes late for the meeting. He said he didn’t believe any rules were broken by the committee’s action.

The Judiciary Committee heard about four hours of testimony on the bill last week, the same day that a couple hundred supporters attended a Statehouse rally where Republican Gov. Mike Pence was among the speakers.

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce and some business executives argued that the proposal could hurt the state’s reputation and make it more difficult to attract companies.

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Attorney General Requests Review Of Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

AUSTIN (AP) – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has asked the state Supreme Court to review a probate judge’s order that found the state’s ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional.

Probate Judge Guy Herman on Tuesday determined the ban unconstitutional in an order addressing a dispute over an Austin woman’s estate. Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir called his order “a great step toward marriage equality” but added she won’t be issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples “at the present time.”

Paxton late Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to review Herman’s order and place a hold on his ruling over the estate.

Paxton wrote in his motion that Herman’s ruling may compel same-sex couples to seek marriage licenses in Texas and district clerks to mistakenly grant them.

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North Dakota Senate Endorses Anti-Discrimination Measure

BISMARCK, ND (AP) – North Dakota’s Republican-led Senate has narrowly approved a bill to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Senate voted 25-22 on Tuesday to send the legislation to the House, going against the wishes of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which heard testimony on the legislation earlier this month and voted 4-2 to give the bill a “do not pass” recommendation.

North Dakota law already outlaws discrimination based on such things as race, age, disability and political affiliation. The measure would add prohibitions against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill has exemptions for religious organizations.

Supporters said the legislation protects gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender residents from being fired from jobs or denied public accommodations.

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Hawaii Bill Would Ease Gender Switch On Birth Certificates

HONOLULU (AP) – A bill moving through the Hawaii House would enable transgender people to switch the gender identification on their birth certificates without having a sex change operation.

The bill passed out of the House Committee on Health Wednesday.

The bill lifts the surgery requirement and instead calls for a statement from a licensed medical or mental health provider.

Supporters say having identification that’s in synch with a person’s name and appearance could reduce harassment in schools and the workplace. They argue requiring surgery is outdated and prohibits transgender people from fully participating in society.

Opponents say a birth certificate is a historical record. They say allowing people to change it could impact couples contemplating a marriage or officiants performing the ceremony.

The bill now goes to the Senate Committee on Judiciary.

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