FRANKFORT, Ky. — County clerks in Kentucky will no longer be required to issue marriage licenses bearing their names, per an executive order issued by Gov. Matt Bevin Tuesday.
The order was one of five issued Tuesday afternoon.
In a statement, Bevin said the order was meant “to ensure the sincerely held religious beliefs of all Kentuckians are honored.”
Gov. Matt Bevin
Kentucky’s protocol for issuing marriage licenses was called into question after Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled doing so was unconstitutional.
In the weeks to come, Davis was thrust into the national spotlight, with Christian and religious freedom advocates applauding her conviction and LGBT and civil rights advocates condemning her refusal to abide by the court's rulings.
The ordeal also resulted in Bevin focusing part of his campaign for governor this fall toward aligning with Davis' cause, as well as support from a number of high ranking Kentucky Republicans.
Was honored to have Kim Davis and her husband ask for me to visit them in the Carter County jail today... #WeAreKY pic.twitter.com/VKyXQgEap1
— Matt Bevin (@MattBevin) September 8, 2015
U.S. District Judge David Bunning eventually ordered Davis to begin issuing the licenses in the weeks following the Supreme Court’s ruling, an order she continued to ignore — landing her in jail for 5 days.
Upon her release, Davis ceased issuing the licenses but did allow staffers in her office to do so.
