Washington and Pulaski County clerks say they are issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples wanting to tie the knot.
This, after Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza on Thursday issued a ruling striking down all state laws banning county clerks from issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples, according to the judge’s office.
The ruling came a day after the Arkansas Supreme Court declined to suspend the judge’s previous ruling finding the state’s ban on gay marriage unconstitutional. The high court also ruled, though, that a law banning county clerks from issuing same sex marriage licenses remained in place, and that the judge would have to issue a separate ruling to address that law.
Several Arkansas counties began issuing same sex marriage licenses this week after Piazza’s initial ruling last Friday. By Wednesday, only Washington and Pulaski counties continued issuing the licenses, while other county clerks waited for the state Supreme Court to weigh in the issue.
Shortly after the Supreme Court released an opinion Wednesday, the county clerks for Washington and Pulaski counties announced they would at least temporarily suspend issuing the licenses.
However, as of Friday county clerks began issuing licenses again under the interpretation.
Washington County issued 138 marriage licenses to same sex couples this week.
Click here to read more on this issue.
Stay with 5NEWS for more on this developing story.