CA: Groups ask court to halt gender-neutral marriage licenses

Excerpt:

A conservative legal group asked a Sacramento court Monday to order the California agency that oversees marriages to stop issuing gender-neutral marriage licenses.

The filing came just hours before the state Supreme Court's decision legalizing gay marriage took effect at 5:01 p.m. Monday, allowing clerks to begin issuing the licenses.

Gary Kreep of the San Diego County-based United States Justice Foundation said his group filed a petition Monday on behalf of five county supervisors from Yuba, Stanislaus, Nevada and Sutter counties. The petition argues the state Department of Public Health failed to hold legally required public hearings on the licenses and claims legislators must amend state marriage laws before the licenses are valid.

A hearing on the request was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, a conservative Christian law firm and a church joined in faxing letters to county clerk offices Monday, telling them that they do not have to do work related to same-sex marriages if it violates their religious beliefs.

Murrieta, Calif.-based law firm Advocates for Faith and Freedom and the Seventh-day Adventist Church State Council said clerk employees are protected from discrimination and entitled to accommodations for their religious beliefs. The letters cited the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the California's Fair Employment and Housing Act.