Oklahoma state Rep. Todd Russ
A bill introduced by Oklahoma state Rep. Todd Russ to eliminate state-issued marriage licenses has passed the state’s House of Representatives on a vote of 67-24.
The state-issued license would be replaced by a license issued by clergy, according to the Oklahoman.
The bill remains within constitutional law — as based on recent court rulings — by remaining neutral on same-sex marriage. If a member of the clergy signs off on a license, Oklahoma would have to recognize it. However, other states may not. The state may no longer have control over bigamy, polygamy, divorce, child custody or child support payments.
But hey, at least they’re not directly sanctioning same-sex marriage.
One Democrat even pointed out that if the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states could regulate whether same-sex marriage should be legal within a state, Russ’ bill would legalize same-sex marriage in Oklahoma.
Russ accused her and other Democrats of trying to create confusion.
LGBT advocacy organization Freedom Oklahoma posted on its Facebook page, “This legislation puts ALL couples — who plan to marry in Oklahoma — at risk of being denied hundreds of federal legal rights and protections, if it were to become law.”
Wouldn’t it be ironic if the IRS, which ruled all legal same-sex marriages would be recognized by the agency and couples must file as married, ruled that straight people married in Oklahoma must file as single?
