Brown Issues Statement on Prop. 8 Ruling

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Jerry Brown issued a statement, June 26, following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Proposition 8.

The Supreme Court ruled that the 2010 federal district court’s decision that Prop. 8 is unconstitutional and cannot be enforced.

“After years of struggle, the U.S. Supreme Court today has made same-sex marriage a reality in California,” Brown said.

The governor has directed the California Department of Public Health to advise the state’s county officials that the district court’s injunction against Prop. 8 applies statewide and that all county clerks and county registrars/records must comply with it. However, same-sex Californians will not be able to wed until the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals confirms the stay of the injunction is lifted.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris concluded that the California Department of Public Health “can and should” instruct county officials that they “must resume issuing marriage licenses to and recording the marriages of same sex” couples.

The department will issue another letter to county officials as soon as the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals affirms the stay is lifted.

Department of Public Health letter to county officials can be found here.
The Attorney General’s letter to Governor Brown can be found here.