Latah County gets state to accept same-sex couples marriage licenses

MOSCOW, Idaho – The six same-sex couples who married in Idaho’s Latah County on Oct. 10 now have a fairly easy way to ensure their marriage licenses are on the record with both local and state government agencies.

In February, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare announced it wouldn’t recognize six marriage licenses for same-sex couples issued by the county between the time the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals approved them and the time a few days later that the Idaho state attorney general’s office got a formal order from the 9th Circuit and advised counties to begin issuing same-sex marriage licenses.

Latah County officials stood by the legality of the six licenses they issued and have kept them on their records.

Earlier, local officials were able to get the original certified licenses from the state for the couples as proof of their marriages.

Latah County recently wrote a follow-up letter to the couples.

Prosecutor Bill Thompson and Clerk-Auditor-Recorder Henrianne Westberg worked out a way for the couples to get licenses that are dated so the state will accept them fully without the couples having to renounce their earlier marriages.

“With this new information, we understand that you now have the option to obtain a new marriage license for purposes of having it registered with the Idaho Bureau of Vital Statistics without having to represent or concede that there is any legal question about the validity of your marriage from last October,” a letter to the couples from the county stated.

“The county has really worked to help the couples involved,” said Tabitha Simmons, who married longtime partner Kathy Sprague on Oct. 10. “Basically, they’ve gone above and beyond.”

“And,” Westberg added, “those original licenses will always be here.”