Long Beach City Clerk Larry Herrera told LBREPORT.com at 9:30 a.m. today (June 26) that Long Beach is waiting because the Los Angeles County Registrar's Office is waiting for lifting of the stays on CA same sex marriages issued by the District Court and Ninth District Appeals Courts,

UPDATE: In a news conference this morning carried LIVE on LBREPORT.com, CA Attorney General Kamala Harris urged CA's Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to lift its current stay on the permanent injunction on Prop 8 which was part of the ruling by (now former) federal district court judge Vaughn Walker.

Attorney General Harris said that same-sex marriages could start as soon as the 9th Circuit lifts its stay...and "the wedding bells will ring"...and said this could take place immediately without a procedural 25-day waiting period.

She said that those opposed to same sex marriage had their right to free expression, but from the standpoint of the federal court system, the measure's proponents lacked standing and were mere "observers."

Attorney General Harris said she had sent a letter to CA Governor Jerry Brown advising the State Department of Public Health to instruct county clerks and recorders in all 58 counties to resume issuing marriage licenses to and recording the marriages of same-sex couples. To view the letter, click here.

In a simultaneously issued release, AG Harris stated in pertinent part: "The Supreme Court's historic ruling in Hollingsworth v. Perry means that same-sex couples have the fundamental right to be legally married in all of California's 58 counties," said Attorney General Harris. "The Court agreed with our argument that opponents of same-sex marriage lacked the legal standing required to bring the issue to the court. Same-sex marriages can legally resume in California as soon as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals lifts its stay on the District Court Ruling. I ask that the Ninth Circuit lift this stay immediately, because gay and lesbian couples in California have waited long enough for their full civil rights." [end UPDATE]

In a release issued this morning, the L.A. County Registrar stated, "No change in the issuance of marriage licenses can occur until further notice. Upon direction, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk will begin issuing licenses and performing ceremonies for same-sex couples."

Meanwhile, as separately reported by LBREPORT.com (in our coverage of reactions to today's U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the Prop 8 case), Governor Jerry Brown released a statement directing the California Department of Public Health to advise the county clerks that the stay is still in effect: "California Department of Public Health to advise county officials today that the district court's injunction against Proposition 8 applies statewide and that all county clerks and county registrar/recorders must comply with it. However, same-sex Californians will not be able to marry until the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals confirms the stay of the injunction, which has been in place throughout the appeals process, is lifted."

Meanwhile, Long Beach City Clerk Herrera also told LBREPORT.com that as soon as the stay is lifted, Long Beach and West Hollywood City Halls have been preliminary designated as sites to perform weddings. City Clerk Herrera will be deputized to perform those weddings.

This follows a release yesterday (before the Supreme Court ruling on Prop 8) indicating that the Long Beach City Clerk's office has now been authorized to perform civil ceremonies.

To be married at Long Beach City Hall when that option becomes available, couples will need a County issued marriage license and a County assigned reservation time for the marriage.

Developing with further to follow.

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