Tagged: same-sex marriage

There’s a new development in the case of a Richland, Wash. florist who refused to sell flowers for a same sex couple’s wedding. The business owner’s lawyers announced a counter suit Thursday saying the florist “will not wilt.”

The owner of Arlene’s Flowers argues there are plenty of other shops in the Tri-Cities that could cater to a gay or lesbian wedding. But lawyers for Barronelle Stutzman say she’s refusing that business because of her religious beliefs.

The lawyer for a Richland, Wash., florist being sued for refusing to provide flowers for a same-sex wedding says he hopes to move the lawsuit to federal court as a First Amendment case.

A same-sex couple from Eugene has received the first-ever waiver to be buried together at a national cemetery. It comes after the death of one of the women.

Gay rights supporters in Oregon have begun the early work to put same-sex marriage on the 2014 ballot. Their petition was filed with the Secretary of State on Monday.

Now, 1,000 signatures are needed to initiate the ballot title process. Among the first to sign the petition Thursday were Governor John Kitzhaber and former Governor Barbara Roberts.

SALEM, Ore. – Oregon voters could decide next year whether to legally recognize same-sex marriages. Supporters of gay marriage submitted an initiative Monday aimed at putting such a question on the Oregon ballot in November of 2014.

Nine states including Washington issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. But Oregon can't, since voters defined marriage as between one man and one woman nearly a decade ago. It would take a statewide vote to reverse that. So the gay rights group Basic Rights Oregon filed an initiative to overturn that Constitutional ban.