URBANA — The Champaign County clerk's office is ready to begin issuing civil union licenses with the implementation of Illinois' civil union law on June 1, according to County Clerk Gordy Hulten.

And Champaign County Judge Arnold Blockman, head of the family law division, is poised to unite four or five couples on Thursday, the first day the unions can be carried out.

"I am committed to administering this new law efficiently and fairly," said Hulten. "We are implementing some new online procedures for civil unions that will streamline the process for customers and my staff. We are excited about these improvements and want to share as much information about them prior to June 1 as possible."

Civil union licenses will be available beginning Wednesday. Eligible parties must be 18 years old, must complete a license application and affidavit, bring acceptable identification to the county clerk's office and pay a $4 cash-only application fee.

Licenses require a one-day waiting period and are then valid for 60 days for ceremonies performed in Champaign County only.

Applications for civil unions may be filled out online, a process that will improve accuracy and efficiency while allowing applicants to complete the most time-consuming part of the process at their convenience, Hulten said.

"We anticipate implementing a similar online application for marriage licenses shortly," he said.

The online application form is at http://www.champaigncountyclerk.com.

"Within the next 14 days, in order to complete the application, both parties must visit our office to proof their information, show identification, sign the application and affidavit and pay the application fee," Hulten said. "At that point, we can issue them a civil union license."

For more information call the clerk's office at 384-3720. The clerk's office is in the Brookens Administrative Center, 1776 E. Washington St., U. It is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for marriage and civil union licenses.

Blockman, who's been performing weddings for 15 years, said he's excited to be able to preside over the civil unions and is ready to do the first ones on Thursday. So far, four or five have been scheduled.

Typically, the judge assigned to do weddings limits the number of services to four per day but Blockman said he'll accommodate as many couples as want to come on Thursday. Another judge will handle the marriages that day. And Judge Jeff Ford is prepared to handle civil unions Friday while Blockman attends a meeting in Chicago. Next week, they'll return to the four-per-day limit.

The fee for a judge to unite a couple is $10, the same as for a traditional wedding. The money goes into a fund that pays for things like robes or chairs or law books for the judges.

Blockman said the ceremony, which lasts all of a memorable 3 minutes, will be almost identical to the marriage ceremony with one notable exception.

The judges will have to retrain themselves to say: "I now pronounce you life partners."

Blockman said he also expects he might see some faces he recognizes from previous visits to his family courtroom.

"We've been doing gay and lesbian adoptions for years," he said.

To schedule a wedding or a civil union in Champaign County, call 384-3707.