To: Bruce Hanes, Montgomery County Register of Wills
Support Montco Register of Wills Bruce Hanes' Decision to Issue Same-Sex Marriage Licenses
I support Montgomery County Register of Wills Bruce Hanes' decision to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Why is this important?
Montgomery County (Pennsylvania) Register of Wills Bruce Hanes has decided to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. We support his decision to be the first official in PA to issue marriage licenses. He is sure to get blowback from the far-right.
Please send him a message of support.
Here is his news release:
For the first time since I took office in January 2008, a same sex couple contacted me last week indicating their intention of applying for a marriage license in Montgomery County. In the ensuing days, my solicitor, Michael Clarke, and I, in conjunction with county solicitor Ray McGarry, studied every aspect of the law, including recent Supreme Court decisions and statements by the Pennsylvania Attorney General.
Based upon the advice of Mr. Clarke, my own analysis of the law and mindful of the Attorney General’s belief that Pennsylvania’s marriage laws are unconstitutional, I decided to come down on the right side of history and the law, and was prepared to issue a license to the couple. However, the women for reasons of their own decided this morning not to seek the marriage license at this time.
When I took the oath of office 19 months ago, I swore to uphold the U.S. and the Pennsylvania Constitutions. Article 1 Section 1 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, aptly entitled “Inherent rights of mankind,” says “all men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent and indefeasible rights, among which is “pursuing their own happiness.”
Article 1, Section 26 of the Constitution says, “Neither the Commonwealth nor any political subdivision thereof shall deny to any person the enjoyment of any civil right, nor discriminate against any person in the exercise of any civil right.”
Furthermore, Article 1 Section 28 says, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania because of the sex of the individual.”
Had the couple sought the license today, I would have issued it and wished them all the freedom, independence, happiness and rights that our Commonwealth’s Constitution purports to grant to them.
Please send him a message of support.
Here is his news release:
For the first time since I took office in January 2008, a same sex couple contacted me last week indicating their intention of applying for a marriage license in Montgomery County. In the ensuing days, my solicitor, Michael Clarke, and I, in conjunction with county solicitor Ray McGarry, studied every aspect of the law, including recent Supreme Court decisions and statements by the Pennsylvania Attorney General.
Based upon the advice of Mr. Clarke, my own analysis of the law and mindful of the Attorney General’s belief that Pennsylvania’s marriage laws are unconstitutional, I decided to come down on the right side of history and the law, and was prepared to issue a license to the couple. However, the women for reasons of their own decided this morning not to seek the marriage license at this time.
When I took the oath of office 19 months ago, I swore to uphold the U.S. and the Pennsylvania Constitutions. Article 1 Section 1 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, aptly entitled “Inherent rights of mankind,” says “all men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent and indefeasible rights, among which is “pursuing their own happiness.”
Article 1, Section 26 of the Constitution says, “Neither the Commonwealth nor any political subdivision thereof shall deny to any person the enjoyment of any civil right, nor discriminate against any person in the exercise of any civil right.”
Furthermore, Article 1 Section 28 says, “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania because of the sex of the individual.”
Had the couple sought the license today, I would have issued it and wished them all the freedom, independence, happiness and rights that our Commonwealth’s Constitution purports to grant to them.