HB 1125 could jeopardize all marriages in Oklahoma, gay and straight

OKLAHOMA CITY – A dangerous and reactionary piece of legislation passed today in the Oklahoma House of Representatives on a 67-24 vote - with 10 abstentions - (http://www.gayly.com/oklahoma-house-approves-measure-changing-marriage-l...). The bill could likely prove to have long-term and negative impacts on all Oklahoma marriages.

HB 1125 modifies the marriage licensing requirement statutes of the state. Instead of issuing marriage licenses through the county clerks office, Oklahoma would be the only state to be limited to “marriage certificates” - filed with the county court clerk following a ceremony performed by a faith leader. If the couple prefers no religious ceremony, they would be relegated to a common law marriage.

Freedom Oklahoma strongly opposes this effort, and encourages Oklahoma's State Senate – where 1125 now heads – not to send this legislation to the Governor’s desk.



"This legislation puts ALL couples - who plan to marry in Oklahoma – at risk of being denied hundreds of federal legal rights and protections, if it were to become law," said Troy Stevenson, Executive Director of Freedom, Oklahoma. "The federal government and other states will not be required to acknowledge these proposed ‘marriage certificates.’ This legislation will only result in mass confusion from clerk’s offices to courtrooms around the nation - while putting Oklahoma families at risk. In the past six months, the freedom to marry has been the law of the land in Oklahoma, and not a single marriage has been at risk - until now, and it is our elected officials who are creating the danger.”

BACKGROUND:
http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2015-16%20FLR/HFLR/HB1125%20HFLR.PDF

Freedom Oklahoma is Oklahoma's statewide LGBT advocacy organization, and a proud member of the Equality Federation. Freedom Oklahoma is the unified organization resulting from the merger of The Equality Network, a 501 (c) (4) organization that lobbies for pro-equality legislation and public policies; and the Cimarron Alliance Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) organization that engaged in public education in support of the LGBT community.