The Santa Fe Council has adopted a
resolution stating that gay marriage is already legal in New Mexico.
Mayor David Coss and City Councilor
Patti introduced the resolution declaring such unions legal in the
state. Five councilors out of eight voted in favor of the
resolution.
“It's time to push this issue,”
Coss
said at a press conference introducing the measure in March.
“I've worked on immigrant rights, labor rights and human rights and
on the rights of same-sex couples. I've seen the struggle in the
Legislature. I've seen the hopes rise and the hopes be dashed.”
Coss added that as a parent he looks
forward to seeing his lesbian daughter marry.
“As a Dad, I'd just like to walk her
down the aisle some day and I will never get to do that if we don't
move on these issues in Santa Fe,” he said. “Santa Fe is ready.
New Mexico is ready, I know. Our country is ready to move on this.”
The resolution urges county clerks to
begin issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples who wish
to get married and is based partly on an opinion issued by City
Attorney Geno Zamora.
Zamora's legal memo states, “New
Mexico's statutory definition of marriage is gender-neutral. Since
New Mexico does not define marriage as between a man and a woman, and
since New Mexico does not prohibit same-sex marriage, same-sex
marriage is permitted in New Mexico.”