North Dakota mulls changes to reflect gay marriage ruling

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A North Dakota Legislative committee is mulling whether to change the state constitution and update state law to reflect the U.S. Supreme Court's decision that declared same-sex couples have the right to marry.

The Legislature's interim Judiciary Committee debated Tuesday whether changes should be adopted or the law left alone as a statement.

The Supreme Court in June declared same-sex couples have the right to marry nationwide. A federal judge shortly after ruled North Dakota's decade-old ban on gay marriage unconstitutional and invalid.

Gail Wischmann of Fargo told the committee that she wed her partner last month. She said that if the state does not change its constitution and statutes "it's almost like we're thumbing our nose at the Supreme Court decision."

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