Ability of same-sex couples to backdate marriage dates ends June 1

The ability of same-sex couples to backdate their marriage date to the date of their civil union will sunset on June 1, the one-year anniversary of marriage equality in Illinois. Couples can still convert their civil unions to marriages, and in Cook County will continue to receive a fee waiver, said Cook County Clerk David Orr. "Couples (who already paid for civil unions) ... should not have to pay a second time to be legally wed," he said. Meanwhile, the last day to backdate a civil union is Friday, May 29, during normal business hours. Since Feb. 21, 2014, when Cook County began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, more than 7,200 same-sex couples have been married in Cook County, including 1,600 conversions of civil unions to marriages. Civil unions are still available in Illinois, for both same-sex and opposite-sex couples. For details, visit www.cookcountyclerk.com/vitalrecords/marriageequality.