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New York State to Recognize Gay Marriages
Out-of-state same-sex unions win equal treatment
By Rob Quinn
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Posted May 29, 08 5:56 AM CDT
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(Newser)
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New York's governor has directed all state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states and countries, the New York Times reports. Terms like "spouse," "husband," and "wife" will now legally apply to same-sex partners in state regulations concerning everything from income tax filings to fishing license applications. The directive is seen as a huge step on the way to legalizing gay marriage in the Empire State.
Gov. David Paterson has spoken out in favor of legalizing same-sex unions, but to do so would require a lengthy approval process in the state legislature. “We’ve done everything we can do on marriage legislatively at this point,” said a top adviser to the governor. “But there are tools in our tool kit on the executive side, and this is one.”