Northwood, IA- In ten days same sex couples are heading to county courthouses across Iowa to tie the knot. State lawmakers are still debating some of the details of the Iowa Supreme Court ruling.
Liz Kenison has spent more than 30 years in the worth county recorders office. She says the Iowa Supreme Court ruling is the biggest change she's ever seen.
"I haven't been recorder since 75 but I have been in the office, and I would say this one does affect it more than any other law that has come down."
In Northwood she’s less than 10 miles from the state line, and Kenison says even before the same-sex marriage ruling Minnesota couples were crossing the border.
"We've had a few phone calls, no names or anything like that, but they definitely talked about the 27th so I feel like we will have some coming in yes."
Republican State Senator Merlin Bartz of Grafton wants to protect the individual rights of county recorders. A group he says is on the front line of Iowa’s same-sex marriage debate.
"I do have e-mails in my possession from these county recorders who are very uncomfortable to have the bull’s-eye painted on their forehead right now."
Under Bartz proposed amendment, recorders could refuse to issue same sex couples a marriage license as a matter of conscience. But Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal is strongly opposing the idea, Kenison agrees.
"The only problem with that is then you are dividing it up, and I do really believe all recorders should do the same you know instead of dividing the laws," she said.
Kenison says she has no issues with the change, and she plans on following the laws she's sworn to uphold.
"We will treat everybody with respect from this office and do our job," she said.
State regulators are issuing a statement to all county recorders that they must comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling. If they refuse they could lose their jobs.
