March 17, 2004
Multnomah County To Hold Hearings On Marriage
Four Opportunities For Public Comment To Precede Vote On Resolution
While out covering the City Club of Portland's Marriage: State of the Union, we missed a media advisory from the office of Chair Diane Linn:
Multnomah County will hold a series of public hearings regarding the issuing of marriage licenses to same sex couples.
The Board will solicit testimony from members of the public on a Resolution reiterating the county's position to adhere to the legal opinion that it is unconstitutional to deny marriage licenses based on gender or sexual orientation.
All hearings will be held at the Multnomah Building, located at 501 SE Hawthorne Boulebard, in the first floor boardroom. A substitute to the original resolution (pdf) will be introdued at the Board meeting on Thursday, March 25th. Following the public hearings, the Board is expected to hold a final vote on the resolution on Thursday, April 1.
These hearings are scheduled as follows: Thursday, March 25, from 10:15 AM to 12:00 PM; Wednesday, March 31, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM and from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM; and Thursday, April 1, from 10:15 AM to 12:00 PM.
Earlier reports have indicated that Commissioner Lonnie Roberts has requested that the County take up a resolution in order for his Board colleagues officially to go on the record as supporting Chair Linn's initial administrative decision to issue same-sex marriage licenses.
The resolution provides a short version of the chronology of events, and also states: "No opinion was solicited from the Oregon Attorney General regarding the County's marriage licensing practice because the AG is advisory counsel for the State and State agencies rather than local government."