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Law blocking
out-of-state couples from marrying in Massachusetts may
be overturned

Law blocking
out-of-state couples from marrying in Massachusetts may
be overturned

Gay couples from across the country may be allowed to wed in Massachusetts after three of the state's top political leaders said they would back the repeal of a 1913 law that was invoked to block the practice. According to the Associated Press, the state's supreme judicial court ruled that the law, which says couples from states that ban same-sex marriage cannot be married in Massachusetts, could be enforced.

The only state that presently does not ban same-sex marriage is Rhode Island, the AP reports.

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney said that repealing the 1913 law would turn the state into the "Las Vegas of same-sex marriage." Newly elected governor Deval Patrick has promised to sign a repeal.

"I know that the 1913 law has sort of smelly origins," Patrick said in the article. "I think it's outdated. If [a repeal] passes the legislature and comes to my desk, I'll sign it."

Opponents say the law was originally intended to regulate interracial marriages, which had varying legalities from state to state at the time the law was passed. However, the law's supporters say there's little evidence to uphold that claim.

Kris Mineau of the Massachusetts Family Institute is currently pushing a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in the state.

"Massachusetts should not become the mecca for gay marriage. We should not interfere with the sovereignty of other states," Mineau said in the article. "It's really a bad decision to open these floodgates."

Gay activists in the state say that chances are good the law will be repealed, but they are now concentrating on a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. In order to keep the amendment off the 2008 ballot, 151 of the state's 200 legislators must vote to keep the current law allowing marriage equality. (The Advocate)

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