Four Guilford County register of deeds employees are among a small number of state workers who have opted out of performing marriages for religious reasons. Government employees in North Carolina have this option under a controversial law enacted in June.
The legislation, Senate Bill 2, was written after federal court rulings in October officially legalized same-sex marriage in the state.
According to the News and Record, five of the state's 100 counties, including Guilford, have already had register of deeds employees opt out of issuing marriage licenses, according to media reports citing the N.C. Association of Registers of Deeds.
The N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts had received 14 notices of recusals from its 672 magistrates. It is unclear if any of the magistrates are in the Piedmont region because the state will not identify the counties where they officiate, citing employee personnel laws.
If a magistrate or register of deeds employee invokes the exemption, that employee cannot perform any weddings for six months.
Employees can invoke the exemption at any time.
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