BREMERTON, Wash. (AP) — An American Indian tribe in Washington state has adopted a law recognizing gay marriage.
The Suquamish Tribal Council voted Monday to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples on its reservation near Seattle, at the request of a lesbian tribal member.
The Kitsap Sun reports (http://bit.ly/mS2kb8) the new law allows the tribal court to issue a marriage license to two unmarried people, regardless of their sex, if they’re at least 18 years old and at least one of them is enrolled in the tribe
At least one other tribe — the Coquille Indian Tribe on the southern Oregon coast — recognizes same-sex marriage. The Coquille was believed the first tribe to adopt a law recognizing gay marriages when it did so in 2008. Most tribal law doesn’t address the issue.
