Updated 06/28/2011 05:56 AM
Clerks wait to hear marriage license requirements for gay couples
Marriage licenses will soon be in high demand now that New York is on the cusp of legalized gay marriage and as our Lori Chung reports, the process for issuing those licenses is still unfolding.
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ALBANY, N.Y. -- With less than a month before the new marriage equality law takes effect, workers at the City Clerk's Office in Albany brace for the possible rush.
"It actually only takes usually ten or 15 minutes for the staff to do a marriage license, but of course, it depends on if we get a whole lot of people" said John Marsolais, Albany City Clerk.
Officials tell us calls started streaming in even before the legislation was passed, and with the ink still figuratively drying on the new law, clerks around the state are waiting to hear exactly how the process will work.
"We really receive our guidance from the Department of Health" said Marsolais. "We're really waiting for some particulars as far as when we can actually issue the marriage licenses"
Those particulars? Well, right now betrothed couples looking for a license must present two forms of identification showing they're 18 or older and able wed without parental consent. Those who've been down the aisle before, must bring a divorce decree or some other proof that they're no longer married. There's also a $40 processing fee. Twenty-four hours after the license is issued, couples are free to wed.
The application currently designates "Bride" and "Groom." Other than that, Marsolais estimates that the process probably won't change very much.
"Whether they'll make some kind of change that will have "spouse" and "spouse" or "spouse 1" or "spouse 2."
Back in 2004, Marsolais says his office was forced to turn couples away because of the laws at the time.
"Here it is like seven years later and it looks like we'll be able to, not looks like, we are going to be able to."
And probably with lots of folks waiting in line.
When the guidelines do come down from the state, couples looking for marriage licenses can apply for one at their local city, town or village clerk's office, but not the at the County Clerk.
The new law takes effect July 24.