Republican Louisiana Governor Bobby
Jindal on Wednesday announced that state agencies may not recognize
the marriages of gay and lesbian couples.
Citing the Supreme Court case declaring
that gay couples have a constitutional right to marry in the United
States, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday overturned a
lower court's order upholding Louisiana's ban on gay marriage.
(Related: Citing
Supreme Court ruling, Fifth Circuit strikes down Louisiana's gay
marriage ban.)
Jindal, a candidate for the White
House, had previously said that he was waiting for the Fifth
Circuit's ruling before moving forward with recognition in Louisiana.
Mike Reed, Jindal's spokesman in the
governor's office, said Wednesday after the ruling that Louisiana
would wait until the district court reverses its ruling.
“Our agencies will follow the
Louisiana Constitution until the District Court orders us otherwise,”
Reed said.
LGBT rights group Equality Louisiana
criticized the move.
“Same-sex couples have waited long
enough. It is time for all of our state officials and agencies to
comply with the Supreme Court ruling,” Equality Louisiana President
Baylor Boyd said in a written statement. “Justice delayed is
justice denied.”
According to The
Times-Picayune, Orleans Parish, which is under the control of
Jindal, has yet to issue a marriage license to a gay couple, though
licenses have been issued in every other parish.