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Law

Kentucky a step closer to legalizing same-sex marriage

A federal judge has ruled that Kentucky’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, a decision that could pave the way for same-sex couples to get married in the state.

Federal Judge John Heyburn ruled Tuesday that the state’s 2004 constitutional ban on same-sex marriage violates the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection clause, calling the state’s counter argument that gay couples can’t contribute to the state’s economic well being because they can’t procreate “illogical” and “bewildering.”

An attorney for the couples involved in the suit told WFPL News that it’s only a matter of time before Kentucky joins 19 states that have legalized same-sex marriages.

In a statement, Gov. Steve Beshear says he plans to appeal Heyburn’s ruling in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Law