By 365gay Newscenter Staff 05.20.2009 4:53pm EDT (Concord, New Hampshire) Revisions in marriage equality legislation demanded by New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch before he signed the bill were stonewalled in the House Wednesday, after passing in the Senate.
The original marriage bill passed the legislature earlier this month, but Lynch said he would veto it unless it offered better protections to churches that oppose same-sex marriage.
The revisions approved earlier Wednesday in the Senate by a 14-10 vote would have made it clear that churches, church organizations and staff are protected from lawsuits if they refuse to permit same-sex marriages.
But when it went to the House in the afternoon, it was defeated by only two votes – 188-186.
The House then voted 207-168 to ask the Senate to negotiate a compromise with the governor instead of killing the bill.
“While the House voted not to adopt today’s version of the amended marriage bill by a very close vote of 186-188, clearly the members of the House want to see marriage equality passed based on the strong vote not to kill it entirely. The House will now convene a conference committee to hash out differences in good faith in order to schedule another vote perhaps as soon as in the next two weeks,” said HRC National Field Director Marty Rouse in a statement.
Among those in the House visitor’s gallery for the vote were New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson and Mo Baxley of New Hampshire Freedom to Marry.
Last month, the University of New Hampshire Survey Center released a statewide poll that found 55 percent of New Hampshire residents support gay and lesbian couples’ right to marry, while 39 percent oppose it.
If a compromise is reached and Lynch signs the bill it will make New Hampshire the sixth state to permit same-sex marriage and the fifth in New England.
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I want to thank both redmenace and Morgan for responding to my questions about the NH revisions!
I agree with one of the other commentators. We should do what many western European countries do. All marriages must be civil and performed at the local town hall by the mayor or some other person so designated. For those who want a religious component, they usually have the civil marriage solemnized in a church, temple or mosque by choice, its not mandatory. In France, no religious cult can actually marry anyone, but only solemnize the civil marriage. We should have that here and shut the religious bigots up once and for all.
This is the original bill that passed, AN ACT relative to civil marriage and civil unions HB0436.:
http://gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2009/hb0436.html
AN ACT relative to reimbursement of mileage for judges and marital masters and relative to civil marriage and civil unions, HB0310: http://gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2009/HB0310.html
And what the Governor of NH did, AN ACT affirming religious freedom protections with regard to marriage and prohibiting the establishment of civil unions on or after January 1, 2010, HB0073: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2009/HB0073.html
WHAT THE F…………….!!!!!!!!?????????