News
HRC urges feds to recognize Utah same-sex marriages
Griffin says ‘no legal reason’ to question the validity of 1,300 unions
Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin is calling on the Obama administration to recognize Utah same-sex marriages. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
The nation’s largest LGBT organization is formally calling on the Obama administration to recognize as valid the estimated 1,300 same-sex marriages performed in Utah.
In a letter dated Jan. 9 and obtained by the Washington Blade, Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, writes to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder “there is no legal reason to question” the validity of same-sex marriages performed in the state before the Supreme Court issued a stay on the weddings.
“Given this landscape of facts, there is simply no reason for the United States government not to extend federal recognition to these more than 1,300 couples,” Griffin writes.
Griffin ticks off several reasons why the marriages should be considered valid — despite a recent decision from Utah Gov. Gary Herbert to hold off on recognizing Utah same-sex marriages until the litigation that enabled them is complete.
“Each was legally performed by a clerk representing the State of Utah, in accordance with the state’s statutes and constitution,” Griffin writes. “Even the office of the governor of Utah—whose formal political position is one of opposition to marriage equality—urged state agencies to extend state marriage recognition to these couples during that 20 day period when same-sex marriages were being performed. Even though the governor’s office has now made a political decision to cut off this recognition, it continues to insist that it makes no pronouncement about the validity of these unions.”
A Justice Department spokesperson confirmed receipt of the letter, but declined further comment. Earlier this week, Dena Iverson, a Justice Department spokesperson, said the department is reviewing the Utah governor’s as part of its determination on whether the federal government will recognize the unions.
Same-sex couples began marrying in Utah on Dec. 20 as a result of ruling from U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby striking down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, known as Amendment 3, as unconstitutional. However, the Supreme Court placed a stay on these marriages on Monday, resulting in Utah saying it would place on hold recognition of these unions until the litigation is resolved in the courts.
But the letter to Holder isn’t the only missive HRC sent out on Thursday. The organization also sent out a letter to each of the attorneys general in the 18 states where same-sex marriage is recognized to urge them to recognize the Utah same-sex unions.
“Should any of these couples be residents of, travel through, or relocate to your state, there is simply no reason to treat their marriage differently from any other, and I urge you to issue an advisory opinion declaring that treating all legally-conferred marriages consistently as a matter of equal protection and basic justice is consistent with the public policy of your state,” Griffin writes.
Notably, D.C. isn’t included in the letter, even though same-sex marriage was legalized there in 2009.
According to Utah TV affiliate Fox 13, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes suggested that others states may be able to recognize same-sex marriages performed in Utah, even though Utah won’t recognize them.
“It’s not invalidating it in the same way that if they went to Hawaii, they could potentially apply for benefits there based on the marriage that took place. They can’t be recognized (here),” Reyes reportedly said. “There is a very fine distinction, but a very important distinction based on those two things.”
Virginia
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The inaugural ceremonies for Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger were held in Richmond, Va. on Saturday. Among the groups marching in the parade were Diversity Richmond and the Virginia Pride project of Diversity Richmond.
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Virginia
Va. Senate approves referendum to repeal marriage amendment
Outgoing state Sen. Adam Ebbin introduced SJ3
The Virginia Senate on Friday by a 26-13 vote margin approved a resolution that seeks to repeal a state constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
Outgoing state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) introduced SJ3. The Senate Privileges and Elections Committee on Wednesday approved it by a 10-4 vote margin.
Same-sex couples have been able to legally marry in Virginia since 2014. Outgoing Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2024 signed a bill that codified marriage equality in state law.
A resolution that seeks to repeal the Marshall-Newman Amendment passed in the General Assembly in 2021. The resolution passed again in 2025.
Two successive legislatures must approve the resolution before it can go to the ballot. Democrats in the Virginia House of Delegates have said the resolution’s passage is among their 2026 legislative priorities.
“It’s time for Virginia’s Constitution to reflect the law of the land and the values of today,” said Ebbin after Friday’s vote. “This amendment, if approved by voters, would affirm the dignity of all committed couples and protects marriage equality for future generations.”
Florida
DNC slams White House for slashing Fla. AIDS funding
State will have to cut medications for more than 16,000 people
The Trump-Vance administration and congressional Republicans’ “Big Beautiful Bill” could strip more than 10,000 Floridians of life-saving HIV medication.
The Florida Department of Health announced there would be large cuts to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program in the Sunshine State. The program switched from covering those making up to 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, which was anyone making $62,600 or less, in 2025, to only covering those making up to 130 percent of the FPL, or $20,345 a year in 2026.
Cuts to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which provides medication to low-income people living with HIV/AIDS, will prevent a dramatic $120 million funding shortfall as a result of the Big Beautiful Bill according to the Florida Department of Health.
The International Association of Providers of AIDS Care and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo warned that the situation could easily become a “crisis” without changing the current funding setup.
“It is a serious issue,” Ladapo told the Tampa Bay Times. “It’s a really, really serious issue.”
The Florida Department of Health currently has a “UPDATES TO ADAP” warning on the state’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program webpage, recommending Floridians who once relied on tax credits and subsidies to pay for their costly HIV/AIDS medication to find other avenues to get the crucial medications — including through linking addresses of Florida Association of Community Health Centers and listing Florida Non-Profit HIV/AIDS Organizations rather than have the government pay for it.
HIV disproportionately impacts low income people, people of color, and LGBTQ people
The Tampa Bay Times first published this story on Thursday, which began gaining attention in the Sunshine State, eventually leading the Democratic Party to, once again, condemn the Big Beautiful Bill pushed by congressional republicans.
“Cruelty is a feature and not a bug of the Trump administration. In the latest attack on the LGBTQ+ community, Donald Trump and Florida Republicans are ripping away life-saving HIV medication from over 10,000 Floridians because they refuse to extend enhanced ACA tax credits,” Democratic National Committee spokesperson Albert Fujii told the Washington Blade. “While Donald Trump and his allies continue to make clear that they don’t give a damn about millions of Americans and our community, Democrats will keep fighting to protect health care for LGBTQ+ Americans across the country.”
More than 4.7 million people in Florida receive health insurance through the federal marketplace, according to KKF, an independent source for health policy research and polling. That is the largest amount of people in any state to be receiving federal health care — despite it only being the third most populous state.
Florida also has one of the largest shares of people who use the AIDS Drug Assistance Program who are on the federal marketplace: about 31 percent as of 2023, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
“I can’t understand why there’s been no transparency,” David Poole also told the Times, who oversaw Florida’s AIDS program from 1993 to 2005. “There is something seriously wrong.”
The National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors estimates that more than 16,000 people will lose coverage
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