A lawsuit filed in federal court by a Louisiana couple has put the brakes on the state’s new marriage licensing laws, saying they are unconstitutional.
A lawsuit was filed in state District Court in Houma, Louisiana, Tuesday, claiming that the new law violates the Constitution’s equal protection clause and violates the state Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection under the law.
The lawsuit was first filed on March 4, but was unsealed on Tuesday by Judge James L. O’Brien.
It was filed on behalf of the couple, who have been married for about three years.
“The plaintiff and defendant are attempting to undermine Louisiana’s marriage laws by filing frivolous lawsuits in order to prevent the state from implementing the marriage license program,” the suit reads.
The couple also claim that the state has no business regulating marriages, as the new legislation does not include any provision for same-sex couples.
A Louisiana law that went into effect last year made it illegal for a same-gender couple to marry in the state, which is why the couple’s lawsuit claims the law is unconstitutional.
It also alleges that the law does not provide any legal authority to the state to determine who should be licensed to marry.
The law has sparked a fierce debate over the rights of same-gendered couples, and some have expressed concerns that same-sided marriages will spread.
Last week, the Louisiana House of Representatives voted to amend the state constitution to remove the state government’s authority to issue marriage licenses to same-partners.
A similar amendment was passed in the Louisiana Senate last week, which would remove the same-government authority.
This is not the first time that Louisiana has been hit with lawsuits over its marriage laws.
Earlier this year, a federal judge ordered the state of Louisiana to issue licenses to all couples in April.
