Portland Business Alliance endorses marriage equality

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Business Alliance board of directors has announced its support for legalizing same-sex marriage in Oregon, and said it would support a business community-led effort on behalf of marriage equity. The Alliance board voted to support amending the Oregon Constitution to end the current prohibition against same-sex marriage, while still clearly…

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Pennsylvania General Counsel Schultz responds to ‘issuing same-sex marriage licenses’ case

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania General Counsel James D. Schultz issued the following statement today surrounding the same-sex marriage case as reported earlier on LGBTweekly.com. “We are deeply disturbed and disappointed by recent coverage of the same-sex marriage case which misrepresents the commonwealth’s position in this matter. “This case is a clear matter of law: Does a public official…

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Pennsylvania Department of Health files suit to halt issuance of same-sex marriage licenses

In what was seen as a widely expected move, Philly.com is reporting that the Pennsylvania Department of Health has issued an injunction against the Montgomery County Register of Wills, D. Bruce Hanes. Hanes, who to date has issued 154 same-sex marriage licenses, began issuing them in late July. “”I decided to come down on the…

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HHS announces first guidance implementing Supreme Court’s decision on the Defense of Marriage Act

Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a memo clarifying that all beneficiaries in private Medicare plans have access to equal coverage when it comes to care in a nursing home where their spouse lives.  This is the first guidance issued by HHS in response to the recent Supreme Court ruling, which…

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New Mexico: Dona Ana County issues marriage licenses to same-sex couples

Same-sex couples in Doña Ana County, NM began receiving marriage licenses this morning after the county clerk announced he was issuing them based on a legal opinion endorsed earlier this year by the City of Santa Fe and a recent filing by the attorney general stating that New Mexico’s laws demanded that the state issue…

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SSAB: Individuals in same-sex marriages should not wait to submit applications for Social Security benefits if they believe they are eligible

WASHINGTON — Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision striking down a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), Social Security and Medicare benefits may soon be available to same-sex couples in the District of Columbia and the 13 states recognizing same-sex marriage. June 26,  in United States v. Windsor, the Supreme Court ruled Section 3 of DOMA unconstitutional, finding…

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Groupon releases marriage equality video (VIDEO)

http://youtu.be/OIvz40H_Cq0 Chicago-based company, Groupon released an employee-produced video Friday showcasing their support of marriage equality in Illinois. NBC reports that the company also plans to bus employees to a marriage equality march and rally in the Illinois capital Springfield Oct. 22, designed to help secure passage of the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act.    

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