Showing posts with label 1913 law. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1913 law. Show all posts

Thursday, July 31, 2008

New Mass. Law Lets Out-of-State Gay Couples Marry

Fresh off the (Associated Press):

"Gay and lesbian couples from outside Massachusetts are now free to marry in the state.

Gov. Deval Patrick has signed a bill repealing a 1913 law that barred couples from marrying in Massachusetts if their union would not be valid in their own states.

Out-of-state gay couples will be able to marry immediately if a court waives the state's standard three-day waiting period for them.

Opponents had said repealing the law would make Massachusetts the "Las Vegas of gay marriage." But Patrick says the old law had its roots in racism as it was seen as a way of preventing interracial marriages.

The new law includes a provision waiving the customary 90-day waiting period for the change to go into effect."

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Urge Mass Lawmakers to Repeal Discriminatory 1913 Marriage Law

UPDATE: Victory! The House of Representatives has voted 118-35, with five members not voting to repeal the 1913 law. Governor Deval Patrick has said he will sign the bill into law, effectively opening Massachusetts to out of state same-sex couples to be eligible to marry.



Last week the Massachusetts Senate repealed a discriminatory 1913 law that barred out of state same-sex couples from marrying within the border of Massachusetts.

In order for the repeal to take effect the House of Representatives must follow the action of the Senate and vote for its repeal. Should this law be repealed it would open up the way for same-sex couples from other states to legally marry in Massachusetts.

Please copy and paste the emails below and urge representatives to repeal the "1913 law" that bans marriage in MA if the marriage would be considered invalid in another state.
http://www.mass.gov/legis/memmenuh.htm