ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Gay couples began applying for marriage licenses in Anchorage on Monday, 15 years after Alaska helped touch off a national debate with a ban on same-sex unions.
Ann Marie Garber and her partner, Koy Field, were among the first gay couples seeking a license to wed in Alaska.
Garber said she had no idea it would happen in her lifetime. She said they decided to apply immediately after the ban was overturned by a federal judge Sunday.
Alaska Republican Gov. Sean Parnell has promised to appeal the ruling, saying states should decide the issue, not courts. The Alaska attorney general’s office planned to take its case to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals within the coming weeks.
Alaska voters approved a constitutional amendment in 1998, defining marriage as being between one man and one woman.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
