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Married Same-Sex Couple Turns in Revoked License

October 10th, 2013

A same sex-married couple delivered a revoked license and a petition in protest to a Sandy Springs Driver Services office Thursday. The license of one of the newlyweds was issued by the same office earlier this year, but last month Georgia’s Department of Driver Services asked her to give it back.

Shakira McCollum-Tucker was with her wife Danielle by her side as she handed in her revoked license to a manager inside the office.

“I’m floored…The fact that you’re telling me I’m Tucker that’s fine, but I know in my heart I’m McCollum-Tucker.”

Then Danielle delivered a petition with 10,000 signatures gathered on the website Change.org.

“We’re hoping you guys will change this discriminatory policy.”

The manager promised to deliver the petition to the appropriate person within the agency.

Shakira legally married Danielle in Boston this past summer. Shortly after, Shakira was able to place her married name on her Georgia license. But last month, Georgia’s Department of Driver Services asked for the license back unless Tucker could bring in a passport with her new name or go through a court-ordered name change. Outside the Driver Services Offices, Shakira said it’s something she will eventually do but she shouldn’t have to.

“Why do I have to spend the one hundred and whatever it is to get a passport but no one else does? Why do same-sex couples have to do that.”

Georgia's Department of Driver Services declined to comment. However in the letter, the department said,

“The Department of Driver Services (DDS) has identified an issue with the driver’s license issued to you on August 15, 2013 that negatively affects the validity of this credential. The DDS is prohibited from recognizing or accepting documents relating to a same-sex marriage, union or divorce therefrom granted in another state pursuant to verbiage found in Article I, Section IV, Paragraph I of the Constitution of Georgia.”

That section of the Georgia constitution says:

Recognition of marriage.

(a ) This state shall recognize as marriage only the union of man and woman. Marriages between persons of the same sex are prohibited in this state .

(b) No union between persons of the same sex shall be recognized by this state as entitled to the benefits of marriage. This state shall not give effect to any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any other state or jurisdiction respecting a relationship between persons of the same sex that is treated as a marriage under the laws of such other state or jurisdiction. The courts of this state shall have no jurisdiction to grant a divorce or separate maintenance with respect to any such relationship or otherwise to consider or rule on any of the parties' respective rights arising as a result of or in connection with such relationship.

Danielle tried to go to the same driver services office and get her name changed in September but was turned down.