Los Angeles County to gear up for same-sex marriage licenses
Supervisors Yaroslavsky and Burke want the county to be ready as soon as possible to comply with the Supreme Court ruling. It will be at least 30 days before licenses can be issued, officials say.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky announced today that he, along with Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke, will order county officials next week to begin complying with the state Supreme Court's decision on same-sex marriages.
"The last thing we want is for the county to be unprepared," he said. "We have to comply with the Supreme Court decision."
Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan, whose department issues marriage licenses, said "the phone was ringing off the hook" after the court's decision Thursday from couples inquiring about the process.
Officials said it will be at least 30 days before marriage licenses could be issued because the county needs instructions from state. But Yaroslavsky said he wants to county to be ready to move as soon as possible and asked Logan to report to the board next week on a timeline to implement the court's order. Logan said supervisors have also asked him to make sure those on his staff officiating same-sex marriages will be comfortable doing so.
"I think it's an issue related to gay marriage that we anticipate may come up," he said. "I'm confident that we have sufficient staffing and resources that if that's an issue we can compensate for that. In the end, employees need to do their job."
In San Diego County, where about 26,000 marriage licenses are granted each year, Assessor/Recorder/Clerk Gregory Smith said he will ensure that clerks with moral or religious objections to same-sex marriage not be required to officiate at such unions.
On Thursday, justices struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage in a broadly worded decision that would invalidate virtually any law that discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa hailed that decision Thursday, saying he would officiate over as many same-sex weddings as possible. The mayor stood by leaders of the gay and lesbian community, calling the high-court's decision a victory for California.
"It's been a long journey to reach this historic day," he said in the courtyard of L.A.'s Gay and Lesbian Community Center. "This is about people and the right for people to love who they want." Villaraigosa pledged his full support in campaigning against an attempt to amend the state constitution. "I will stand with you," he said. "I will do everything in my power to keep this decision the law of the land."
jp.renaud@latimes.com
