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Loading ...NH Senate takes up marriage bill
04.13.2009 12:22pm EDT
(Concord, New Hampshire) The New Hampshire Senate this week will hold public hearings on a bill that would amend the state’s same-sex civil union law to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry.
So many people are expected to attend the hearings the Senate has moved Wednesday’s meeting to a larger room.The bill narrowly passed the state House last month. Gov. John Lynch (D) has said that he opposes gay marriage and believes the civil union law is fine. Two years ago, the Legislature approved, and Lynch signed, the civil unions bill, which aimed to provide all of the state rights of marriage except the name.
Some 600 same-sex civil unions have been conducted in the state. But same-sex couples have complained the law has created two separate forms of unions, resulting in discrimination.
Although Lynch opposes the marriage bill, he has skirted the question of whether he would veto it should it come to his desk.
Supporters believe there is enough support in the Senate to pass the bill. But it is unlikely there are enough votes to overcome a veto.
Last week in Vermont, the Legislature overrode a veto by Gov. Jim Douglas (R) of a similar marriage bill.
Maine will also have public hearings on a same-sex marriage bill later this month. “An Act To End Discrimination in Civil Marriage and Affirm Religious Freedom,” co-sponsored by more than 60 legislators, will be heard before the Joint Judiciary Committee on April 22. So many people are expected to attend the hearing that it has been moved to the Augusta Civic Center.
The Rhode Island legislature is also expected to take up a same-sex marriage bill this year. Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri has said he will veto any gay marriage bill that reaches his desk.
Last week Carcieri and his wife, along with representatives of conservative groups, appeared at a news conference to denounce gay marriage.
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, the Boston-based group that won marriage equality in court rulings in Massachusetts and Connecticut, last November launched the “Six by Twelve” campaign to legalize gay marriage throughout New England by 2012.
I e-mailed all of the NH Senators yesterday, encouraging them to vote yes! Let’s keep the momentum going!
All marriage equality supporters in NH should email or call their Senator (or better yet, all Senators) right away. Make sure you identify yourself as a constituent in the message line if you email. Show up at the statehouse at 8am Wed if you can. Based on the Senate voting records on civil unions we have a good shot at winning, but the out-of-state bigot organizations will be bombarding NH with their hate messages and we can’t afford to lose any votes on this issue.
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/senatemembers.asp
In all honesty folks I wouldn’t hold my breath expecting Lynch to sign this bill. Sadly he is a wee bit of a conservative masquerading as a democrat and unlike the Vermont scenario we simply won’t have enough votes to override. =((. He’s definitely a wild card. Let’s hope he does the right thing. Shure would be nice to see this marriage ball gain some more speed.
I just emailed them as well. Here is a list to an email list of the Senators:
http://gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/members/
This kills me. Either we have the legislature or we have the governor, never both and most of the times we don’t have enough of the legislature.
The eternal battle.
Why do al the press and most of my fellow gay people call the rights we are fighting for “Gay marriage”? I married my partner (of the same sex) over 2 years ago after 20 years of being together.
Nothing about the Marriage or documentation said a thing about my being gay! I think the proper term is “Marriage Equality” — I see nothing gay about my commitment. Am I wrong in this?
What do you think? Is my marriage different? What I do in the bedroom is not someone else’s business.
My Marriage is public record.
Too Bad we had to go to Canada!
Can we please stop referring to “Gay Marrige”? It is vitally important that we, in our own community, start asking for marriage equality. We don’t want to be “gay-married.” We want to be married just like any other American citizen.
We should be talking about marriage equality and civil rights. I think it will bring a better chance of recognition.
I really hope that Governor Lynch can learn from VT Governor Douglas’ mistake.
I believe the correct term is “marriage equality”, or “marriage for gay and lesbian citizens”. I know they aren’t short terms, but they are accurate, and immune to being derisively quoted if quoted in full. I agree that “gay marriage” does seem like always defining oneself by a difference as compared to some “norm” that is not supposed to be used as a benchmark when discussing equality. Marriage rights, equality and citizenship are all very secular terms also, and that’s where we need to keep this debate. Every time we get into the religion area, we’re going to lose. As a wise man once said, if you could reason with religious fundamentalists, there wouldn’t be any fundamentalists.
Thanks for that mailing list Jer. I’ll definitely be sending out a message or two. How about lynch’s e-mail? Was it in there too, or did I just not see it?
What makes Gov. Lynch the arbiter of what’s “fine”? Civil unions are not the same as marriage. It’s an unintelligent comparison from any civil rights perspective. So unless we’re coming up on a gubernatorial election in NH soon… oh wait.
Governor John Lynch Email Form:
http://www4.egov.nh.gov/governor/goveforms/comments.asp
Both the Senate President Sylvia Larsen, the Senate Majority Leader, Maggie Hassan say there are more important things to discuss than same sex marriage. Gay State Party Chair Raymond Buckley is AWOL. Our purported friends seem to be deserting us.
I wholeheartedly agree that we need to stop using the terms ’same-sex marriage’ or ‘gay marriage’. They serve only to inflame our opposition.
Marriage equality is not only more palatable to our adversaries, but far more correct as to what we are trying to achieve.
Neil
I agree with those who believe “Marriage Equality” is what we are after. Stop using the term “gay marriage”. It sounds like special rights, not equal rights, and it is equal rights we are after.
I also agree some (many) religious groups are the main problem, but I also agree some are our most important allies, if they would only speak out more. Only religious people can convince other religious people that Jesus didn’t intend to marginalize glbt people. But no matter what one’s religious beliefs, they shouldn’t be used to discriminate using the force of law.