Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis must begin issuing marriage licenses – that’s the decision reached by U.S. Judge David Bunning late Wednesday.
Citing her deeply-held religious beliefs, Davis had ceased issuing the licenses in the wake of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case paving the way for legal same-sex marriage in all 50 states in June. Bunning disagreed, writing “…her religious convictions cannot excuse her from performing the duties that she took an oath to perform as Rowan County Clerk.”
The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the judge approved a preliminary injunction filed by Rowan County couples requesting that Davis resume the licensing process.
Supporters of Davis in the legislature have prefiled bills outlining a legal exception for county clerks who refuse to grant the licenses for religious reasons.
