Yell County Clerk Sharon Barnett said Wednesday that despite a previously stated "conscientious religious objection," she will now issue same-sex marriage licenses.
The Arkansas Times first reported Wednesday morning that Barnett was refusing to issue the licenses. Jack Wagoner, a Little Rock attorney who represented several same-sex couples in Arkansas' gay marriage case, posted on social media Wednesday that he had "just gotten word that the Yell County Clerk is refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples."
"Get the word out," Wagoner said in his Facebook post. "If this happens to you or a friend then they have a free lawyer - so long as there are not too many of you."
Barnett said it was "with great reluctance" that her office will now issue the same-sex marriage licenses.
"I have a strong conscientious religious objection to the same-sex marriage law," Barnett said in a statement. "I have consulted attorneys and have been advised to not pursue my resistance to this law."
Barnett also said that she would not resign since that "would not change the fate for Yell County."
"This law which was not the vote of the people would still be enforced," she said. "In the future, there will be no clerk or deputy clerk's signature or endorsement on the marriage license."
The Yell County clerk was referring to Act 1127 of 2015, which changed the law to not require a marriage license be signed by a county clerk to be effective.
