Ky. gov removes names of clerks from marriage licenses

Rowan County, Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis speaks to a crowd gathered outside the county’s correctional facility on Tuesady, September 9, 2015, following her release on a contempt charge. Rowan County is issuing them, without her name. Despite orders from a federal court, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court ordering her to end her “no licenses” policy, Davis refused to comply.

Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis has been sued by four couples after…

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.

That was only one of the executive orders and another one reversing an executive order former Governor Steve Beshear signed six months ago.

In his first press conference after being elected, Bevin promised one of his first acts would be to make the changes Kim Davis had requested.

Gov. Matt Bevin issued five high-profile executive orders on Tuesday on issues ranging from same-sex marriage licenses to voting rights for ex-felons. However, no plaintiffs have come forard to challenge those county clerks in court. Many critics of same-sex marriage say the ruling has led to the trampling of their rights of free speech and free exercise of religion, and have sought legal protections to permit them to opt out of condoning or participating in same-sex unions.

Although ordered by the judge who released her not to interfere with the Kentucky licenses issued by other clerks, Davis altered the license forms, creating some contention over whether they were legal.

The order removes a requirement that county clerks’ names appear on marriage licenses issued by their offices.

Today, Governor Bevin issued five Executive Orders pertaining to marriage licenses, minimum wage, hiring practices within the state government, the restoration of rights to felons and a superfluous state board.

In June, Beshear raised minimum wage to $10.10 an hour for state employees. That action went into effect on July 1 and impacted about 800 people at a cost to taxpayers of $1.6 million. He pleaded guilty to a felony drug possession charge, spent 30 days in jail and another three years on probation. “We hope that moving into the next year the principled stand Kim made will remind us of our precious right of religious freedom”.