The administration of Governor Scott Walker has ordered the state to recognize same sex marriage licenses issued earlier this year. That’s in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of the state’s bid to reinstate its constitutional ban. Some 500 couples were married during a brief window in June, after federal Judge Barbara Crabb struck down the ban and before she stayed her decision to allow the state to appeal her ruling.
“The injunction from Judge Crabb requires the Governor to direct state agencies “to treat same-sex couples the same as different sex couples in the context of processing a marriage license or determining the rights, protections, obligations or benefits of marriage,” said a statement from Walker spokeswoman Laurel Patrick. “The state will be treating licenses issued in June as valid marriage licenses.”
“We are pleased that the State of Wisconsin is doing the right thing and recognizing these marriages,” said Larry Dupuis, legal director of the ACLU of Wisconsin. “While there may be some bureaucratic snafus here and there, we expect the State to move quickly and assertively to make the promise of marriage equality a practical reality in Wisconsin.”
