Lawsuit Seeks to Halt Joint Tax Filings by Mo. Same-Sex Couples

The Missouri Baptist Convention and other opponents of marriage equality have asked a judge to immediately halt the filing of joint state tax returns by married same-sex marriage living in Missouri.

The request, made Wednesday in Cole County Circuit Court, comes in a lawsuit the Baptist group and others have filed challenging Gov. Jay Nixon's executive order allowing the filing of joint state tax returns by gay couples who have married in other jurisdictions, the Associated Press reports. Missouri does not recognize same-sex marriages, but Nixon has said since Missouri tax code is tied to federal tax code, and the federal government now allows same-sex couples to file jointly after last year's Supreme Court ruling for federal-level marriage recognition, then Missouri's tax laws must follow suit.

Some Republican state legislators have filed articles of impeachment against Nixon, a Democrat, over this and other actions.

Nixon has also urged the repeal of the state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.