Officials urge licenses for New Mexico same-sex marriages

Santa Fe Mayor David Coss and a City Council member say New Mexico county clerks should issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and Santa Fe’s city attorney says it’d be legal to do so.

Coss and Councilor Patti Bushee plan to introduce a City Council resolution on March 27 “recognizing” that same-sex marriage is legal in New Mexico.

They have a legal memo in which City Attorney Geno Zamara says same-sex marriage is permitted in New Mexico.

Zamora says that’s partly so because New Mexico law defining marriage is gender-neutral and lacks any prohibition on same-sex marriage.

Zamora also says same-sex marriage is legal because the state already recognizes same-marriages from other states and the New Mexico Constitution requires equal treatment on the basis of sex.