Kathy Smith, Calvert Circuit Court Clerk, echoed Arnold, and told ST. MARY’S TODAY that because of state law, no marriage licenses will be issued to same sex couples.

According to both, there have been no requests for such licenses to date.

This comes in a time where several localities nationwide are bucking state law and issues permits for same sex couples to marry. San Francisco is the most prolific of these cities, but many others would join the parade.

Mayors of Chicago Illinois, Minneapolis Minnesota, Salt Lake City Utah, and Platsburgh NY have said that they support the idea of same sex marriage and would grant licenses if circumstances permit.

The controversy started as the result of a Massachusetts Supreme Court Ruling which forced the State Legislature to rewrite the law in order to allow for same sex marriages.

Initially, the Massachusetts legislature moved to legalize civil unions, granting the legal status of marriage upon same sex couples, but the court refused to accept that and required that the legislature legalize the actual status of marriage.

This is not the case in Maryland, where marriage is legally defined as a union between a man and a woman, and it will continue to be such unless changed through legal means.

The main issue facing Maryland now is the question of whether same sex marriages performed in other states must be legally recognized as marriages in Maryland. So far, there is nothing to indicate that this is the case, and the state can ignore the marriage.

As for same-sex couples in St. Mary’s and Calvert who want to marry, they will just have to cough up airfare and go to San Francisco.

Jaffe@stmarystoday.com