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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The Latest on a judge ordering Arkansas to stop issuing birth certificates (all times local):
12 p.m.
Arkansas has resumed issuing birth certificates after the governor ordered the Health Department to comply with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling and list the spouse of the woman who gives birth as a parent, regardless of gender.
A state Department of Health spokeswoman says the agency resumed issuing and amending certificates Friday, less than two hours after halting because of an order by Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox.
The U.S. high court ruled in June that Arkansas' birth certificate law illegally favors heterosexual parents. Fox said Friday that the law still doesn't comply with that ruling and ordered the department to stop issuing certificates.
Within hours, Gov. Asa Hutchinson directed the department to treat married lesbian couples the same as married heterosexual couples and list both spouses on the birth certificate.
Arkansas issues, amends and replaces roughly 400 to 500 birth certificates a day.
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10:20 a.m.
Arkansas officials say they won't issue or amend birth certificates in response to a judge's order halting the program until the state complies with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to amend a state birth certificate law it says illegally favors heterosexual parents.
The state Department of Health said Friday it will take information from those seeking birth certificates for when officials can resume issuing them. Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox earlier Friday blocked the state from issuing the birth certificates.
Fox also set aside his orders requiring the state and three same-sex couples go into mediation on how to fix the state law to comply with the U.S. high court's order. Attorney General Leslie Rutledge earlier this week asked the state Supreme Court to stay or lift Fox's mediation order.
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9:58 a.m.
An Arkansas judge has halted the state from issuing new birth certificates until officials are able to comply with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the state's birth certificate law illegally favors heterosexual parents.
Pulaski County Circuit Judge Tim Fox on Friday set aside his orders requiring the state and three same-sex couples go into mediation on how to fix the state law to comply with the U.S. high court's order. Attorney General Leslie Rutledge earlier this week asked the state Supreme Court to stay or lift Fox's mediation order.
Rutledge told the court this week that both sides had agreed on an order that Fox rejected.
Fox said in his order he was hopeful that the governor could fix the law by executive action.
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