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New York to Back Same-Sex Unions From Elsewhere
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The New York Times
5/29/2008
"David A. Paterson has directed all state agencies to begin to revise their policies and regulations to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions, like Massachusetts, California and Canada.
"In a directive issued on May 14, the governor's legal counsel, David Nocenti, instructed the agencies that gay couples married elsewhere 'should be afforded the same recognition as any other legally performed union.'
"...Gay rights advocates applauded Mr. Paterson, saying the broad directive would make it clear that gay couples wed in other states were entitled to all of the benefits of marriage in New York.
"'He saw no reason to stand in the way of making sure these couples benefit from the rights and protections that come with marriage,' said Susan Sommer, senior counsel for Lambda Legal. 'It shouldn't be the burden of each lesbian or gay couple to have to advocate before an agency every time a new issue comes up.'"