Via friend Sean on the Book Of Face comes this article on Alabama’s House Of Representatives passing a bill that would essentially abolish state issued marriage licenses.

Under the bill that passed today, couples wanting to get married would submit to the probate judge a form that includes an affidavit saying they meet the legal requirements of marriage and the probate judge would record that as the official marriage document.

It also takes out the requirement that a minister or similar position be the officiant of the ceremony.

There is criticism from the left – justifiably- that this is an end run around making some probate courts actually do their job and issue licenses to same-sex couples. Honestly, I don’t care if that’s the reason, if this is passed.