Iowa couples with same-Sex Couples Act-compliant licenses may marry under the same-kind marriage license law passed by voters Tuesday, a key victory for the campaign to protect marriage from legal threats.
The state’s Supreme Court ruled last month that gay and lesbian couples have the right to marry, and the law has made Iowa the 15th state to recognize same-gender unions.
The law has drawn support from religious conservatives, who argue that it violates their religious beliefs.
It was expected to take effect Monday.
But on Tuesday, the Iowa Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners ruled that Iowa can allow gay and bisexual couples to marry under its marriage license statute.
The ruling came after a weeklong debate that drew hundreds of thousands of signatures, including from the religious conservative movement.
The Iowa Board also said it would allow same-person couples to get married on its behalf, but not in the state, under its order.
The ruling was a significant victory for gay rights advocates, who have pushed for a statewide referendum to legalize gay marriage.
The move came as President Donald Trump vowed to undo the ban on same-day voter registration in the wake of the ruling, which was not binding on Iowa.
The U.S. Supreme Court has not taken up same-state marriage cases in years.
The Associated Press
