KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas has begun issuing gender-neutral marriage forms amid ongoing litigation over its same-sex marriage ban.
Copies of the new forms were included in a motion that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment filed Wednesday and amended Thursday, seeking to have former Secretary Robert Moser dismissed from the litigation.
The motion noted that Moser resigned effective Nov. 30, and also said new marriage forms have been created that are suitable for same-sex couples.
Applicants now fill in information under the heading “Party A” or “Party B” and can select whether they want to be referred to as a bride, groom or spouse.
KDHE spokeswoman Sara Belfry said the forms were changed last month after the U.S. Supreme Court denied Kansas’ request to prevent gay and lesbian couples from marrying while the state fights a lawsuit.
Gay couples have married in some but not all of the state’s 105 counties, and as of Thursday morning, the state had issued 23 marriage certificates to same-sex couples, Belfry said.
No action has been taken on the clerks’ or Mosher’s dismissal requests.
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