Gay and lesbian couples already can marry in 36 states and the District of Columbia. The court's ruling on Friday means the remaining 14 states, in the South and Midwest -- including Kentucky, will have to stop enforcing their bans on same-sex marriage.
Kentucky and three other states, Ohio, Michigan, and Tennessee took the issue to the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the state constitutional bans on same sex marriages.
In the ruling: "The Fourteenth Amendment requires a State to license a marriage between two people of the same sex and to recognize a marriage between two people of the same sex when their marriage was lawfully licensed and performed out-of-State."
It is unknown when Kentucky will have to drop its ban and begin the implementation process to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples.
Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway issued this statement after the ruling:
"Today, the United States Supreme Court issued the final word on this issue. The ruling does not tell a minister or congregation what they must do, but it does make clear that the government cannot pick and choose when it comes to issuing marriage licenses and the benefits they confer. It is time to move forward because the good-paying jobs are going to states that are inclusive.
As Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, I did my duty and defended Kentucky’s constitutional amendment. When Judge Heyburn ruled the amendment was unconstitutional, I agreed with his legal analysis and used the discretion given to me by statute to inform Gov. Beshear and the citizens of the Commonwealth that I would not waste the scarce resources of this office pursuing a costly appeal that would not be successful.
As the Court profoundly stated in its opinion regarding the plaintiffs, 'They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.' "
Governor Steve Beshear issued this statement:
“The fractured laws across the country concerning same-sex marriage had created an unsustainable and unbalanced legal environment, wherein citizens were treated differently depending on the state in which they resided. That situation was unfair, no matter which side of the debate you may support.
Kentuckians, and indeed all Americans, deserved a final determination of what the law in this country would be, and that is the reason we pursued an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Today’s opinion finally provides that clarity.
All Cabinets of the executive branch have been directed to immediately alter any policies necessary to implement the decision from the Supreme Court.
Effective today, Kentucky will recognize as valid all same-sex marriages performed in other states and in Kentucky. I have instructed the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives to provide revised marriage license forms to our county clerks for immediate use, beginning today. We will report additional expected policy changes in the coming days.” – Governor Steve Beshear.
