From AL.com:
Pike County officials haven’t issued marriage licenses in months, and today Probate Judge Wes Allen announced that his office is now permanently out of the marriage business.
“My office discontinued issuing marriage licenses in February and I have no plans to put Pike County back into the marriage business,” Allen wrote in a statement. “The policy of my office regarding marriage is no different today than it was yesterday.”
Geneva County Probate Judge Fred Hamic also said he intends to permanently close the marriage license bureau in his office, if his attorneys don’t object.
Both judges cited Alabama Code Section 30-1-9: “Marriage licenses may be issued by the judges of probate of the several counties.”
The law says “may” instead of “shall”, Hamic said, which makes a big difference. He said the law permits probate judges to opt of of isuing marriage licenses.
“This decision is not based on me being a homophobic, people can do whatever they want in private,” Hamic said. “It is based strictly on my Christian beliefs.”
Read the rest of the story here.
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