Judge: Clerks in Mississippi can't deny marriage licenses because of religious beliefs

A federal judge ruled on Monday that clerks in Mississippi cannot cite their religious beliefs to recuse themselves from giving same-sex couples marriage licenses.

On Friday, the state is scheduled to enact House Bill 1523, a religious objections law filed in response to the Supreme Court legalizing gay marriage, but under the ruling, part of it cannot be enforced. U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves is extending his previous order that overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriage, The Associated Press reports, and he said all 82 circuit clerks in Mississippi will receive formal notice that they are required to treat all couples equally.

Reeves said the state's elected officials can disagree with the legalization of gay marriage, but "the marriage license issue will not be adjudicated anew after every legislative session." Mississippi Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves (R), no relation to the judge, released a statement saying he hopes the state's attorneys will appeal the decision to protect the "deeply held religious beliefs" of Mississippians. "If this opinion by the federal court denies even one Mississippian of their fundamental right to practice their religion, then all Mississippians are denied their 1st Amendment rights," he said.

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