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| US gay marriage: Texas pushes back against ruling | US gay marriage: Texas pushes back against ruling |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Texas' top law officer has called the US Supreme Court decision legalising gay marriage in all 50 states a "lawless ruling" and vowed to support state workers who refuse to marry couples on religious grounds. | Texas' top law officer has called the US Supreme Court decision legalising gay marriage in all 50 states a "lawless ruling" and vowed to support state workers who refuse to marry couples on religious grounds. |
| The court ruled on Friday that marriage for all is a constitutional right. | The court ruled on Friday that marriage for all is a constitutional right. |
| Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said clerks could be fined if they refuse to issue marriage licences. | Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said clerks could be fined if they refuse to issue marriage licences. |
| However, he said that his office would defend them in court free of charge. | However, he said that his office would defend them in court free of charge. |
| Despite the landmark ruling, opponents of gay marriage are preparing for more legal challenges. Many want to protect the interests of people with religious objections to the unions. | Despite the landmark ruling, opponents of gay marriage are preparing for more legal challenges. Many want to protect the interests of people with religious objections to the unions. |
| "This newly minted federal constitutional right to same-sex marriage can and should peaceably coexist with longstanding constitutional and statutory rights, including the rights to free exercise of religion and freedom of speech," Mr Paxton wrote in a memo to state employees. | "This newly minted federal constitutional right to same-sex marriage can and should peaceably coexist with longstanding constitutional and statutory rights, including the rights to free exercise of religion and freedom of speech," Mr Paxton wrote in a memo to state employees. |
| Many gay couples in Texas have already wed since Friday's ruling. But couples in nearby Mississippi have been blocked from obtaining marriage licences. | |
| Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood said gay marriage would not be legal in the state until the US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals gives the go-ahead. It is unclear when the court will act. | |
| In Louisiana, an official had said they found nothing in the ruling stating the marriages must be available immediately, but the state began issuing licences on Monday. | |
| "We don't have a choice," Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal told NBC News on Sunday. "Our agencies will comply with the court order." | "We don't have a choice," Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal told NBC News on Sunday. "Our agencies will comply with the court order." |
| Mr Jindal, a Republican who is running for president, also sought to protect religious freedoms after the ruling. | Mr Jindal, a Republican who is running for president, also sought to protect religious freedoms after the ruling. |
| "I think it is wrong for the federal government to force Christian individuals, businesses, pastors, churches to participate in wedding ceremonies that violate our sincerely held religious beliefs," Mr Jindal said. | "I think it is wrong for the federal government to force Christian individuals, businesses, pastors, churches to participate in wedding ceremonies that violate our sincerely held religious beliefs," Mr Jindal said. |
| "We have to stand up and fight for religious liberty. That's where this fight is going," he added. | "We have to stand up and fight for religious liberty. That's where this fight is going," he added. |
| Gay marriages in the US only apply to secular unions so churches and clergy are not legally required participate. | Gay marriages in the US only apply to secular unions so churches and clergy are not legally required participate. |
| However, some conservatives say florists, bakers and other businesspeople associated with weddings should not be legally required to serve gay customers if they have religious objections to same-sex marriages. | However, some conservatives say florists, bakers and other businesspeople associated with weddings should not be legally required to serve gay customers if they have religious objections to same-sex marriages. |