‘Takes Them Out Of The Trap’: Anti-Gay Lawmaker’s Bill Eliminating Marriage Licenses Passes House

An Oklahoma State Rep.’s bill, which “protects” clerks and judges from having to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, just passed the House.

Todd Russ says that “Oklahoma voted overwhelmingly against same-sex marriage, and yet the Supreme Court stuck it down our throats.” The Oklahoma State Representative thinks there are many “people across the state who are not through pushing back on the federal government for the slam down they’ve given us with Supreme Court rulings,” and he’s one of them. 

“Marriages are not supposed to be a government thing,” Russ says, and now he’s one step closer to making that dream a reality.

Rep. Russ’ bill, HB 1125, removed the state government entirely from issuing marriage licenses or officiating at weddings. Instead, authorized officiants would provide the state with a marriage certificate, essentially a notice that a marriage was created.

“This takes them out of the trap,” he told Tulsa World.

The state’s only obligation at that point would be to record the certificate, eliminating the need for anti-gay clerks and judges to be faced with issuing licenses to same-sex couples or officiating at their weddings.

HB 1125 passed Tuesday by a huge margin, 67-24, and now heads to the Senate.

Some believe the bill, should it become law, would make it easier for minors to marry, as clerks would no longer be able to require spouses to show proof of age. It also could make incest and polygamy easier.

But Rep. Russ is proud his legislation puts marriage back where he believes it belongs.

“The point of my legislation is to take the state out of the process and leave marriage in the hands of the clergy,” Rep. Russ said. “Marriage was historically a religious covenant first and a government-recognized contract second. Under my bill, the state is not allowing or disallowing same-sex marriage. It is simply leaving it up to the clergy.”

Rep. Russ did not address the needs of those who desire a civil ceremony. 

“If the Senate passes the bill, only ‘an ordained or authorized preacher or minister of the Gospel, priest or other ecclesiastical dignitary of any denomination’ would be allowed to issue ‘certificates of marriage’ after presiding over a ceremony,” Raw Story notes.

On his campaign website, Rep. Russ promises to “stand for Godly values and Godly leadership in government.”

“We as citizens have let government take prayer out of our schools, take the Ten Commandments out of our capitols, and they continue to tell us as Christians to be quiet about our fundamental beliefs,” Russ claims. “Our Christian values are the very things that have made our state and nation so great. We as rural Oklahomans greatly influence the standards of our nation because we are part of the Bible Belt.”

 

Previously on Todd Russ:

Sally Kern’s Bill Banning State Employees From Issuing Same-Sex Marriage Licenses Advances

Oklahoma Bill Would Require All Marriage Licenses To Be Issued By Religious Clergy

 

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Hat tip: Towleroad