New York governor allows residents to obtain marriage license by Zoom

Image: Istock.com/shapecharge via AFP Relaxnews

To reduce the number of excuses New York residents can offer in order to challenge stay-at-home mandates, the state’s governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Saturday that he issued an executive order “allowing New Yorkers to obtain a marriage license remotely and allowing clerks to perform ceremonies via video conference” — no need for a marriage bureau.

NEW: I am issuing an Executive Order allowing New Yorkers to obtain a marriage license remotely and allowing clerks to perform ceremonies via video conference.

— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) April 18, 2020

CNBC reported Cuomo stating that “there is now no excuse” not to get married as lockdown orders continue since it can now be done via services like Zoom; clerks are officially allowed to digitally perform legal marriages.

The order was made over the weekend, because the state is not expected to release residents from lockdown until at least May 15, possibly longer.

As of today according to WorldOMeter.com, New York has seen 247,215 reported cases of COVID-19 total and 18,298 deaths; however, data suggest that the state could have passed its peak; both hospitalizations and intubations have been consistently on the decline. RGA

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