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Illinois AG spells out policy after court ruling on marriage

LGBT advocates say letter is ‘green light’ for clerks to distribute licenses statewide

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Lisa Madigan, Illinois, gay news, Washington Blade

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has spelled out state policy following a court ruling on marriage equality. (Photo by John D. Rockefeller IV; courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has spelled out state policy in the aftermath of a federal court ruling in her state legalizing same-sex marriage, which the governor and LGBT advocates interpret to mean she has given her OK for gay nuptials throughout the state.

In a March 5 letter, Madigan responds to an inquiry from Macon County Clerk Stephen Bean, who apparently asked her whether he should begin distributing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in the wake of the federal court decision last month in Lee v. Orr.

In that ruling, U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, but said the decision only applies to the Chicago-area Cook County. LGBT advocates behind the ruling said the decision applies statewide because it was a facial challenge to the law, although clerks expressed uncertainty about how to act.

Although Madigan never explicitly says marriage licenses should be made available to gay couples everywhere in the state, she recalls her position that “current Illinois restrictions against same-sex marriage violate the equal protection rights that belong to all citizens under the United States Constitution.”

“Even though the ruling in Lee is not binding on you, the protections guaranteed by the Constitution must exist without regard to county lines, and the Lee decision, along with the federal court decisions noted above, should be persuasive as you evaluate whether to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples,” Madigan writes. “Additionally, while the ruling in Lee does not control other courts as binding precedent, we expect Lee to be persuasive to other state or federal trial courts addressing the same questions.”

Madigan writes if another lawsuit arises challenging a county clerk’s refusal to issue a marriage license to a gay couple in Illinois, her office would likely move to intervene, as it did in the Cook County case, and urge the court to follow that holding.

Following the publication of the letter, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn issued a statement saying his administration will now accept marriage licenses from same-sex couples across the state as valid.

“Nobody should have to wait for equal rights when it comes to love. I encourage every county clerk in Illinois to quickly follow the Attorney General’s guidance,” Quinn said. “Following this guidance, the Illinois Department of Public Health will now accept all marriage licenses issued by any county clerk in Illinois.”

Last year, Quinn signed into law a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the state, but because the bill was passed during a special session, it won’t go into effect until June 1. Gay couples had sued in Cook County to allow gay couples to wed ahead of time.

LGBT advocates jumped on the letter from Madigan as a signal that she’s OK with county clerks distributing marriage licenses statewide even though the new marriage law won’t go into effect for several months.

Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, said the letter “green lights” the ability for gay couples to attain marriage licenses at every county clerk’s office.

“We agree with the Attorney General that the recent federal decision knocking down restrictions on marriage equality as unconstitutional should be the determining factor in clerks’ decisions to issue the licenses before the June 1 effective date of the Illinois Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act,” Cherkasov said.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Cook County had already handed out more than 260 marriage licenses to same-sex couples following the federal court ruling. Champaign County, which lies in central Illinois, had also determined that it could begin distributing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in the wake of the Lee decision.

Christopher Clark, a staff attorney with Lambda Legal, concurred Madigan’s letter indicates she’s green lighting the immediate distribution of marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

“The letter does mean that Illinois county clerks outside of Cook County now have a ‘green light’ from the Attorney General to being issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples,” Clark said.

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Hungary

New Hungarian prime minister takes office

Péter Magyar’s party defeated anti-LGBTQ Viktor Orbán last month

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Péter Magyar votes in Budapest, Hungary on April 12, 2026. He has been sworn in as the country's new prime minister. (Screen capture via APT/YouTube)

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar took office on Saturday.

Magyar’s center-right Tisza party on April 12 defeated then-Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz-KDNP coalition. Vice President JD Vance less than a week before the election traveled to Budapest, the Hungarian capital, and urged Hungarians to support Orbán.

Orbán had been in office since 2010. He and his government faced widespread criticism over its anti-LGBTQ crackdown.

The European Commission in 2022 sued Hungary, which is a member of the EU, over the country’s anti-LGBTQ propaganda law. The European Union’s top court, the EU Court of Justice, on April 21 struck down the statute.

The EU while Orbán was office withheld upwards of €35 billion ($41.26) in funds to Hungary in response to concerns over corruption, rule of law, and other issues.

Hungarian lawmakers in March 2025 passed a bill that banned Pride events and allowed authorities to use facial recognition technology to identify those who participate in them. MPs later amended the Hungarian constitution to ban public LGBTQ events.

Upwards of 100,000 people last June defied the ban and marched in Budapest’s annual Pride parade.

“Congratulations to [Péter Magyar] on becoming prime minister of Hungary,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on X.

“This Europe Day, our hearts are in Budapest,” she added. “The hope and promise of renewal is a powerful signal in these challenging times.”

“We have important work ahead of us,” noted von der Leyen. “For Hungary and for Europe, we are moving forward together.”

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Comings & Goings

Whitman-Walker honors Rep. Sarah McBride

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U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.) (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at [email protected]

Congratulations to Congresswoman Sarah McBride (D-Del.) on being honored with this year’s Stonewall Award from Whitman-Walker Health. Amy Nelson, senior director of Legal Services, said, “Congresswoman Sarah McBride is working to make healthcare accessible to all, and this award recognizes her support of healthcare as a human right. Our legal program supports families facing unprecedented challenges to stay healthy and safe – families that Congresswoman McBride champions with a deep understanding of the issues they face and the legislative expertise of how to support them.”  

McBride, in a press release, said, “I am honored to accept this year’s Stonewall Award from Whitman-Walker Health — an organization that has spent 40 years doing vital work to ensure every person can access the dignity of care. In the wealthiest and most developed nation on earth, the ability to receive care should not be a matter of luck—it should be the law of the land. I am proud to be recognized as a partner in this work and to support Whitman-Walker Health in their mission to build a healthier society for all.”

Congratulations also to Wes Drummond who will join Clear Space Theatre Company in Rehoboth Beach, Del., as its third artistic director. Managing Director Joe Gfaller said, “This is an exciting moment of growth for Clear Space as we welcome Wes to join our remarkable team. I am confident he will be an excellent partner as we work with our entire staff, board, and committed team of volunteers, to ensure Clear Space can achieve its full potential in pursuit of our mission to unite and enrich our community through every production on stage, and every arts-based learning program we offer throughout our community.” 

On accepting the position Drummond said, “I’m honored to join Clear Space Theatre Company as artistic director, and beyond excited for what we’re about to create together. Clear Space has established itself as a vital and vibrant part of the cultural life of coastal Delaware, and I feel incredibly fortunate to step into this next chapter alongside such a passionate and dedicated team. Rehoboth Beach is a place defined by creativity and community, and I look forward to listening, learning, and building meaningful relationships across the region in the months ahead. My vision is to help Clear Space continue to grow as a bold, forward-thinking, cultural force, that champions fearless storytelling.”

Wes Drummond

Drummond served in leadership roles at Duluth Playhouse in Duluth, Minn., from 2021 to 2026, including four years as executive director followed by one year as executive producing artistic director, guiding the organization through a period of significant transformation and stability in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a director, he has worked extensively in New York City, Chicago, and at regional theaters across the country, directing both musical theater and plays with a focus on storytelling that bridges classical works with contemporary perspectives. He has collaborated with leading figures in the industry, including Tony Award-winning director Matthew Warchus, and Tony-nominated director Michael Greif. He is an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

Wes earned his MFA in directing, Penn State University, where he studied under Tony-nominated director, Susan H. Schulman. 

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Virginia

Va. Supreme Court invalidates Democrat-backed redistricting plan

Voters narrowly approved new congressional districts last month

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Virginia Supreme Court (Photo by sainaniritu/Bigstock)

The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a Democrat-backed redistricting plan that voters approved last month.

Ten of 11 of Virginia’s congressional districts favor Democrats in the plan that passed by a 51-48 vote margin in last month’s referendum.

The Human Rights Campaign PAC is among the groups that support it. The court by a 4-3 majority invalidated the referendum results.

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