Illinois to Issue Gay Marriages Three Months Early

Illinois county clerks can immediately begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, state Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Wednesday.

The state law legalizing gay marriage doesn't take effect for another three months.

The decision came after a federal judge ruled in February that the state's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional.

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn agreed and is urging clerks across his state to follow the attorney general's guidance.

Cook County, where Chicago is located, already began issuing marriage licenses to gay couples last month.