Maryland scheduled to begin issuing same-sex marriage licenses

Tomorrow, or the first time in the state’s history, court clerks will be allowed to begin issuing marriage licenses for same sex couples. The licenses, however, will not be effective before midnight of January 1st 2013, in accordance with the compromise gay-rights supporters struck in order to get enough votes in the Maryland House of Delegates. Another restriction is that Maryland residents who obtained a same-sex marriage license in another state cannot now obtain a second license in their home state. There are other restrictions that are out of the hands of the Maryland state government. Because of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, the federal government is prohibited from recognizing same-sex marriages, which has significant implications for things like taxes and Social Security survivor benefits for same sex couples across the country. This affects Maryland particularly because Maryland, in terms of tax laws, treats its people the same way the IRS does.