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Loading ...Gay marriage becomes law in Maine
05.06.2009 1:21pm EDT
(Augusta, Maine) Gov. John Baldacci signed legislation Wednesday allowing same-sex marriage in Maine, minutes after it received final approval in the legislature.
Maine is the fifth state to allow gay marriage.Up until he put his pen to the bill ,it was anyone’s guess whether he would sign or veto it. Baldacci had said previously he had not made up his mind on gay marriage.
Had he vetoed it, the bill likely would have died. It received final approval in the Senate by a slim majority, not enough to override a veto.
As the governor appeared to be equivocating, same-sex marriage advocates delivered more than 10,000 postcards asking him to support the legislation.
The new law repeals Maine’s 12-year old so-called Defense of Marriage law, which bars same-sex marriage. Under the new law, churches are not compelled to conduct same-sex weddings if it would be inconsistent with their doctrine.
The conservative Maine Marriage Alliance warned that if Baldacci signed the bill it would press for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.
The New Hampshire House will vote on a similar bill Wednesday. It already has passed the Senate, but Gov. John Lynch, who has said he believes the current civil union law works, has not said if he would veto the bill.
Same-sex marriage was already legal in three New England states – Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont.
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, the Boston-based LGBT rights group that won marriage equality in court rulings in Massachusetts and Connecticut, last November launched “Six by Twelve” a campaign to legalize gay marriage throughout New England by 2012.
If same-sex marriage becomes legal in New Hampshire, it would leave only Rhode Island as the only New England state without marriage equality.
Thanks, ScottNH, for that valuable information. It looks like the MMA is in for a steep climb.
Congratulations Maine!!!!
This is great news!
Even so, we can’t take anything for granted. What are the chances that the Maine (anti-)Marriage Alliance can get an amendment proposal on the ballot? If they succeed, what are the chances it will pass?
I’m hopeful that the people of Maine would support marriage equality, but like DC says, we cannot become complacent.
A word to the wise – postcards worked, but postcards with a smattering of letters and emails would work even better.
Good things happen to great people that wait! I’m so glad that the governor didnt hesitate!!
That is great news,we are winning, civil righ’s for all
To amend the ME constitution Maine Marriage Alliance would need to get a 2/3 vote of both House and Senate and ratification by voters. If anyone knows differently please say, but it looks like the anti- forces are ‘up the creek’ as they say.
We should not let these victories make us complacent. Our adversaries will become energized by their “setbacks,” we need to make sure they don’t overturn it and protect the politicians who protected us
HURRAH!!!
Yay!
Great job to Maine’s community !
We are building some momentum.
Congratulations, Maine! The way life should be
DO NOT GET YOUR HOPES UP! The law doesn’t go into effect for 90 DAYS. And if enough signatures can be gathered before then, the law doesn’t go into effect until (if?) it survives a voter referendum. Gay marriage is still up in the air in Maine.
Hopefully, it will be now evident that the tide of same-sex marriage is irresitable.
GREAT NEWS!
Woot woot! Fifth state! 2009 just seems to be our year.
Oh, and apparently sending governors post cards works so…POSTCARDS! We need MORE postcards!