Articles labeled: gay marriage in new york

In the continued march toward logic and reason, New York Governor David Paterson has instructed state agencies to recognize same-sex couples who were married in states or counties where it was legal. Given the proximity of New York to Massachusetts — where gay marriage is legal — this is a pretty big deal.

The governor’s legal counsel told state agencies in a May 14 memo to revise policies and regulations to recognize same-sex marriages performed in California and Massachusetts as well as Canada and other countries that allow gays and lesbians to marry, said Erin Duggan, the governor’s spokeswoman.

The memo informed state agencies that failing to recognize gay marriages would violate the New York’s human rights law, Duggan said.

The directive follows a February ruling from a New York state appeals court. That decision says that legal same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions are entitled to recognition in New York.