Macon County May Issue Same-Sex Licenses Early

Macon County Clerk Steve Bean expects to make a decision early next week about whether to issue same-sex marriage licenses before Illinois' new gay marriage law starts June 1.

Bean told The Herald & Review in Decatur that State's Attorney Jay Scott had advised him that a federal judge's decision that Cook County gay couples didn't have to wait for the new law applies only to Cook County.

Champaign County Clerk Gordy Hulten said Wednesday that his office will join Cook County in issuing licenses ahead of June 1.

Bean said he and Hulten had talked about both Champaign and Macon counties potentially following Cook County.

Scott said he believes a license issued in another county based on the Cook County ruling could later be challenged.