ALABAMA: Crackpot Bill To Ban All Marriage Licenses Dies In State House Despite 53-36 Majority Vote

This was actually a close one.  AL.com reports:

The House voted 53-36 in favor of the bill. But it required a two-thirds vote for approval because it was not part of the governor’s call for the special session. Rep. Jim Hill, R-Odenville, who sponsored the bill in the House, said the intent was to address some problems that have arisen since the U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage, with some probate judges deciding not to issue marriage licenses at all. “This would not require them to issue the marriage license but would allow the individuals to sign the contract and record it in the probate court just as you record a deed with the probate court,” Hill said. Hill said current law says that probate judges “may” issue licenses, but that the bill would have changed the law to say probate judges “shall” record the marriage contracts. He said that would clarify what the law requires.

Rep. Patricia Todd, the state’s only openly gay legislator, said this: “What is the difference between handing me a piece of paper for a license vs. accepting a piece of paper from me for a marriage contract?” (Tipped by JMG reader Fred)