ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – About 1,400 civil union licenses were issued in Chicago and its surrounding counties during June and July.
The Daily Herald reports Wednesday that the 1,400 licenses were issued in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties during the first two months they were legally available in Illinois.
That compares with about 10,000 marriage licenses during the same two months in the same counties.
Gov. Pat Quinn signed a civil union law in January that gave gay and lesbian couples many of the rights and legal protections of marriage. Heterosexual couples also can enter into civil unions in Illinois.
County officials say not all of the civil union licenses went to same-sex couples.
