By John Mack Freeman
A panel of the Alabama House of Representatives has rejected a proposal that would have stopped the state from issuing marriage licenses. Had the process gone forward, two individuals who have entered into a marriage contract with each other that would have had to have been witnessed and then submitted to a clerk of court for recording. The proposal stemmed from efforts to avoid having clerks of court hand out licenses to same sex couples who are seeking to become married. The proposal drew the ire of many as it was confusing, cumbersome, and did not ultimately block same-sex couples from becoming married.