Same-Sex Couples Can Take Vows in Illinois

Some couples in Illinois have been waiting for this day for a very long time.

Today, June 1st, is the first day that Illinois counties can start issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Governor Pat Quinn signed the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act back in November that made Illinois the 16th state to allow same sex marriage.

Some Illinois counties were already issuing the marriage licenses. Equality Illinois, a gay-rights advocacy group, estimates about 1,300 same-sex licenses have been issued statewide, 1,110 of those are in Cook County. The other 86 counties have waited until today to issue them.