BOSTON, April 15 (UPI) -- Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney Thursday filed emergency legislation seeking a stay of the state Supreme Court decision allowing same-sex marriages.
Romney wants a special counsel appointed to ask the Supreme Judicial Court to stay its ruling that would have allowed same-sex couples to marry in Massachusetts beginning May 17, a release on the governor's Web site stated.
Romney's action sidesteps a decision by state Attorney General Thomas Reilly not to act on the issue until voters get a chance to weigh in, which is not expected before November 2006.
The governor said in the release, the legislation "will allow me to protect the integrity of the constitutional process" and preserve the right of citizens to make this decision rather than having it made for them by the Court."
In November, the Supreme Judicial Court ordered the Legislature to determine how to allow same-sex couples to marry. The court gave lawmakers 180 days to act, which means same-sex weddings could occur in Massachusetts in mid May.
However, the Legislature passed a constitutional amendment that, according to Romney, "directly contradicts the Court's decision by defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman."
