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Judge strikes all Arkansas bans on gay marriage

By WTOP Staff

ANDREW DeMILLO
Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Gay marriages quickly resumed in Arkansas on Thursday after a state judge whose previous order had sown confusion among county clerks expanded his ruling to remove all vestiges of same-sex marriage bans from the state’s laws.

The Arkansas Supreme Court had said Wednesday that a law that kept clerks from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples remained on the books, despite the ruling last week by Pulaski County Circuit Judge Chris Piazza that declared gay marriage bans unconstitutional.

Piazza revised his order Thursday, saying no one in the state was harmed by the 456 marriage licenses issued to same-sex couples after his order and until the Supreme Court ruled. He rejected the state’s request to put his decision on hold, saying gay couples would be harmed by that action.

“Constitutional violations are routinely recognized as triggering irreparable harm unless they are promptly remedied,” Piazza wrote. The attorney general has again turned to the state Supreme Court for help.

Seventeen other states allow gay marriage. Judges have struck down bans in Idaho, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Virginia.

But in Idaho, plans for same-sex marriages to begin Friday were put on hold as the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals considered whether the governor and attorney general should have more time to file an appeal a judge’s ruling overturning its state ban.

Arkansas voters had added a gay marriage ban to the state’s constitution in 2004, the same year Ohio voters voted to define marriage as between one man and one woman. Gay marriage supporters delivered a petition with thousands of signatures to Ohio’s attorney general Thursday, urging him to drop an appeal of a federal court decision tossing out the state’s ban on same-sex marriages.

Lawyers for Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett said Thursday that the state’s 1996 ban should remain in place despite a request by a lesbian couple for recognition of their Massachusetts marriage.

In Arkansas, the clerk in Pulaski County, which includes Little Rock, resumed issuing licenses to gay couples quickly after Piazza’s revised ruling, granting 11 of them by the close of business. Washington County, home to Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas, said it would resume issuing licenses Friday.

Four other counties that had been sued by gay couples seeking the right to marry said they would wait to hear from their lawyers or the state Supreme Court before proceeding. Carroll County, which wasn’t involved in the lawsuit but issued licenses Saturday and Monday, was also awaiting legal advice.

None of the state’s other counties issued marriage licenses to gay couples. They aren’t covered by Piazza’s ruling, said Kenneth Gallant, a law professor at the University of Arkansas.

After the marriages resumed, Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel asked the state Supreme Court for an emergency order stopping the distribution of gay marriage licenses, despite his belief that gay couples should have the right to marry.

“The circuit court’s orders should be stayed while this court considers the state’s appeal, in order to avoid confusion and uncertainty about the effect of the circuit court’s orders on Arkansas marriage law,” Assistant Attorney General Colin Jorgensen wrote in the filing.

The state Supreme Court gave lawyers for gay couples until noon Monday to file a response.

An attorney for the couples who had sued over the ban said he wasn’t surprised by Piazza’s revised ruling.

“I think his intent all along was to strike down any of these statutes that interfered with a same-sex couple obtaining a marriage license in the state,” lawyer Jack Wagoner said. “The fact he didn’t call out the statute number of one of those statutes was an oversight.”

The state Health Department said Thursday it would no longer alter birth certificates for same-sex couples who wanted to both be listed as parents after the Supreme Court ruling. Spokeswoman Kerry Krell said birth certificate alterations remained on hold while officials reviewed Piazza’s latest order.

Arkansas legislators on Friday will discuss a non-binding resolution urging justices to uphold the gay marriage ban.

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

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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