OREGON: State Orders Agencies To Recognize Out-Of-State Gay Marriages

Willamette Week reports:

The state of Oregon will now recognize the marriages of same-sex couples who legally wed out of state. In a memo sent to all state agencies today, state Chief Operating Officer Michael Jordan says any gay couple who wed in a state where same-sex marriage is legal will now be eligible for the same benefits as any other married couple. "Oregon agencies must recognize all out-of-state marriages for the purposes of administering state programs," Jordan writes. "That includes legal, same sex marriages performed in other states and countries." Jordan made the decision based on a legal opinion from the Oregon Department of Justice.

The ruling is unrelated to the marriage equality lawsuit filed on Tuesday on behalf two Oregon gay couples. What is related is this poll from an Oregon television station. You know what to do. (Tipped by JMG reader Mathew)