Gay couples find hurdles to get driver's license

Austin, Texas (AP) — Some gay couples have been denied a Texas driver's license after taking their same-sex spouse's last name because the Texas Department of Public Safety won't recognize documents that reflect the change.

DPS won't accept out-of-state marriage licenses or other certain other documents to verify applicants' identities. Virtually the only way DPS will issue a driver's license in such cases is to provide a Texas court order approving a name change or a U.S. passport with the new surname, according to The Dallas Morning News.

DPS spokesman Tom Vinger said the agency must adhere to a 2005 amendment to the Texas Constitution barring recognition of same-sex marriage. He noted that the regulations provide "other options for establishing identity," such as a court order.

But gay couples say the other options are costly and time-consuming.

Connie Wilson, who recently moved from California to Houston with her wife and three children, said DPS last week rejected her application, although she presented a California driver's license and a Social Security card with her new married name.

"How many hoops are they going to make me jump through?" asked Wilson.

Dallas resident Amanda Barbour, who took partner Heather Rodenborg's last name after they married in Massachusetts, said she knew she couldn't get a replacement driver's license from DPS without first going to court.

But it costs more than $350 to have a name changed in Dallas County, even if done without a lawyer, she said.

Barbour, now Rodenborg, said she shelled out $298 in court fees and between $60 and $70 to obtain criminal-background and credit-history checks that are required. She said she also paid to park her car during her three trips to the courthouse.

"When you're trying to tally up your costs of your marriage, you don't necessarily think about having to spend $400 to change your name," she said.

The DPS rule also highlights how Texas has resisted a growing acceptance of gay marriage found elsewhere in the country. U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia in February declared Texas' 2005 law unconstitutional, but it has remained in effect pending appeal.

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Information from: The Dallas Morning News, Dallas, TX.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Gayly – September 26, 2014 @ 10:20am