"The Suquamish tribe has about a thousand members. One of them, a 28–year–old Seattle woman, pushed the tribe for years to open up marriage to same–sex couples. This week, the tribal council finally approved the change.

Now, the tribal court can issue a marriage license to two men or two women, as long as one of them is a member of the tribe.

Michelle Hansen is the tribe's attorney. She says the new law gives gay couples the same marriage rights and benefits as others.

Hansen: "They don't have to leave the reservation in order to get married. They don't have to get a state, or a jurisdiction under the state type of license. They can just come here, and many tribal members would rather have those kinds of intratribal matters handled by their own government and by their own courts. So, this gives them that opportunity."

Hansen says couples can also turn to the tribal court for divorces or some paternity issues."

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Suquamish Tribe OKs Same-Sex Marriage (KUOW 8/3)

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