How many civil union licenses have been issued in suburbs?
Life hasn't changed much for Michele and Shannon Fagiano since they became one of the first couples in the suburbs — and the first in Lake County — to receive a civil union license.
They shared the same last name before getting the paperwork, so there was no need to change driver's licenses or other important documents. Michele already had health insurance through Shannon's policy. And their property had been in both of their names.
“We had all that drawn up when we had our daughter,” Michele Fagiano said of 4-year-old Riley.
But getting the license June 1 — and the religious ceremony that followed a few weeks later — helped make their 13-year-long relationship feel real.
“It made it all seem more official, like we were actually a couple,” Michele Fagiano said. “People see it as more of a real relationship now.”
The Fagianos are among 1,399 couples who were issued civil union licenses in Lake, Cook, DuPage, Kane and McHenry counties in June and July, the first two months the practice was legally available in Illinois. About 10,030 marriage licenses were issued during the same period.
A breakdown of the numbers shows:
ŸIn Cook County, 1,098 civil union licenses and 6,884 marriage licenses were issued between June 1 and July 31.
ŸIn DuPage County, 110 couples had received civil union licenses, and 1,176 couple had received marriage licenses.
ŸIn Kane County, the clerks office had issued 83 civil union licenses and 669 marriage licenses.
ŸThe Lake County clerk's office had issued 72 civil union licenses, and 986 marriage licenses.
ŸThe McHenry County clerk's office had issued 36 civil union licenses and 315 marriage licenses.
Not all of the couples getting civil unions are same-sex pairs, officials said.
Courtney Greve, a spokeswoman for the Cook County clerk's office, said her team hasn't been surprised by the demand for civil unions. About 3,000 couples already were part of the county's domestic partnership registry, a system that allowed couples to register the relationship for benefits including health insurance.
That program has since closed to new couples because of the civil union law, Greve said.
Cindy Pagano, the chief deputy clerk in Lake County, said the licensing process has gone smoothly at her office in Waukegan.
There have been no protests from groups or individuals opposed to gay marriage, she said.
“The first day was very historic, but now it's just another license that is issued by our office,” Pagano said.
The Kane County clerk's office has been protest-free, too. Additionally, Clerk John Cunningham said his staffers received special training to help them accommodate same-sex couples.
“They've adapted to it,” Cunningham said.
Michele Fagiano recalled one thing she and Shannon had to do differently now that they are recognized as a couple by the state. When she went to buy a car recently, she was told Shannon needed to sign some paperwork, too.
“It didn't really click until I was there,” Michele Fagiano said.