Jul 31, 2008 6:20 pm US/Eastern
Patrick Paves Way For Non-Resident Gay Marriages
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Governor Deval Patrick signed the bill during a ceremony at the State House Thursday.
WBZ
Any same sex couple -- regardless of where they live and whether or not their home state recognizes gay marriage -- can now marry in Massachusetts.
Governor Deval Patrick signed a bill Thursday repealing a 1913 law that had kept most non-resident same-sex couples from tying the knot.
The law barred couples from marrying in Massachusetts if their union would be void in their own states. "In Massachusetts equal means equal," said Patrick, flanked by legislators and gay marriage advocates. "By repealing the law we continue to pave the way as a national leader."
The state's Supreme Judicial Court legalized same sex marriage in 2003.
Since then, said Patrick, "The sky has not fallen, the earth has not opened to swallow us all up, and more to the point, thousands and thousands of good people -- contributing members of our society -- are able to make free decisions about their personal future."
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