Oregon to Register Same-Sex Marriages

[Blackaxe]

SALEM, Ore., July 9 -- Oregon became the second state to register same-sex marriage licenses Friday after a state appeals court upheld a lower court order directing officials to record more than 3,000 marriage licenses issued to same-sex couples in Multnomah County.

Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers asked the appeals court to order a hold on registration while a lawsuit challenging the licenses is pending. Myers played down the importance of registration, saying it was an administrative act that would not authenticate the 3,022 marriage licenses Multnomah County issued earlier this year, because the Oregon Supreme Court has not ruled on the issue.

The lower court in April also ordered Multnomah County -- which includes Portland -- not to issue more licenses to same-sex couples until there could be a binding response to the issue from either legislators or the state Supreme Court.

State recognition of same-sex marriages as valid presumably would entitle the couples to the same state benefits accorded to heterosexual married couples, including health care benefits and the right to sue on behalf of a spouse.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39903-2004Jul9.html