Some rather big news out of Missouri on Thursday.
Governor
Jay Nixon announced that he supports gay marriage in a press conference
announcing that the state will accept joint tax returns from gay
couples married in other states, the Columbia Tribune reports:
In an executive order, Nixon directed the
Department of Revenue to accept the combined returns as a reaction to
the June ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court striking down the federal
Defense of Marriage Act. That law barred same sex couples who were
legally married from receiving any marriage-based federal benefits, such
as tax exemptions and Social Security payments. Under state law,
couples who file a joint federal return are required to file a combined
state tax return. The executive order clarifies that the law applies to
all couples, Nixon said.
Nixon also made clear his personal views:
“Many Missourians, including myself, are
thinking about these issues of equality in new ways and reflecting on
what constitutes discrimination. For me, that process has led to the
belief that we shouldn’t treat folks differently because of who they
are.”
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