Subscribe to Breaking News
Loading ...NH Senate votes for gay marriage
04.29.2009 3:04pm EDT
(Concord, New Hampshire) The New Hampshire Senate on Wednesday passed legislation that would make the state the fifth in the nation to grant marriage equality.
The 13-11 vote came despite a recommendation last week by the Senate Judiciary Committee that it be rejected.The chair of the committee, Sen. Deborah Reynolds (D) was one of those who recommended voting against the bill, but on Wednesday she voted for it, saying since the committee meeting she had heard from a large number of constituents who favored the bill.
Republicans voted in a block against the measure, along with one Democrat.
The bill was amended prior to the vote to draw a distinction between civil and religious weddings – allowing churches which do not approve of gay relationships to refuse to conduct ceremonies.
Last month the bill passed the House on a 186-179 vote, but the House will need to vote on this bill again, since it was amended by the Senate.
If it passes the House a second time, it will head to the desk of Gov. Gov. John Lynch who has said he believes the current civil union law works fine, but has not said if he would veto the bill.
Earlier on Wednesday a new poll was released showing most residents of New Hampshire support same-sex marriage.
The University of New Hampshire Survey Center Poll found that 55 percent of New Hampshire residents support allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry, while 39 percent oppose it.
The poll was sponsored by the New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition.
Same-sex marriage already is legal in three New England states – Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont. A Maine Senate committee also voted on gay marriage today. Rhode Island is the only New England state where same-sex marriage legislation has not advanced.
Elsewhere, same-sex marriage is legal in Iowa. New York Gov David Paterson (D) has unveiled legislation to allow same-sex couples to marry in the Empire State and in California, the Supreme Court is expected to rule this spring on the legality of Prop 8 the voter approved measure banning gay marriage in that state.
I was expecting it to fail! This is a wonderful surprise! Now it all rests on the governor’s decision…I’m not going to get my hopes up though.
Cool…this is awesome.
I hope it passes. I live in CT and since the pass of Gay marriage here…it hasn’t effected the “sanctity of marriage” for hetero’s. They’re still getting divorced at the same rate they were this time last year.
I’m sitting here and see this poll to the left of this box…”Will all the marriage legislation in New England encourage gays and lesbians to do more travelling there?”
Maybe…let’s find out in a positive way. Make it legal in all of New England AND New York.
It’s not like my marriage to my boyfriend is going to make my hetero counterparts marriage any less meaningful. Why do we get married? To have the union recognized by our close friends and family as a family unit. You can be boyfriends/girlfriends for 100 years…you will still be viewed as separate entities both in your own circle, and in the eyes of the govn’t. I really do feel you are viewed differently…like an honorable, contributing member of society…by being married to your significant other.
Let’s get this show on the road…afterall…events in New England did bring about the American Revolution…
XOXO
What Maine Senate committee also voted on gay marriage today? The Maine Judiciary committee voted on it yesterday.
“The bill was amended prior to the vote to draw a distinction between civil and religious weddings – allowing churches which do not approve of gay relationships to refuse to conduct ceremonies.”
Well, duh! Separation of church and state. That’s the point! Couldn’t care less if the church refuses to conduct the ceremony. They’re the ones pushing their morals like drugs.
Island Boy,
Unfortunately, the Jesus freaks don’t (or choose not to) see any difference between civil and religious marriage. I think it’s great that the New Hampshire lawmakers were careful enough to include this important clarification, but it’s pretty sad that they needed to, because it should be obvious.
“Sen. Deborah Reynolds (D) was one of those who recommended voting against the bill, but on Wednesday she voted for it, saying since the committee meeting she had heard from a large number of constituents who favored the bill.”
This shows that contacting our representatives does have an impact, we need to keep this up!
‘The bill was amended prior to the vote to draw a distinction between civil and religious weddings – allowing churches which do not approve of gay relationships to refuse to conduct ceremonies.’
Honestly this needs to be included in all gay marriage bills to make the religious right lose any credibility to their bigoted arguments against equal rights.
Hooray from Massachusetts. Hope your governor does the right thing.
Well, we’re coming along, aren’t we. Now let’s all get geared up for New York state to follow suit and then I’ll feel we’re making real progress . . . moving down from north to south. I hope that all the states follow suit and this whole marriage equality issue is a thing of the past and we’re equal in everyones eyes, not just ours.
It amazes me that gay marriage has become the new word of the century. I am now 43 years old. I have been with my partner going on 19 years and we still are waiting to be united in a ceremony that will give us the same rights as everyone else. Do you really think I give s**t if you call it gay marriage or whatever else you want to name it, NO. All I want is to be able to share the same rights as everyone else in this country. Yet because of people’s silly hang-up’s and others agenda’s there is a good chance that I may never get to have those same rights not even in my state of NY. All because people are hung up on the word gay marriage. If people would learn to compromise we would have had the same rights as everyone else years ago and we could have changed the name to gay marriage as the years passed and people realized that there was no difference. Instead because we are hung up on insisting that we call it gay marriage we have a country divided and no chance of getting the same rights in the next 15 years at least, in the country and probably never in the state of NY at the rate things are going.
Thank you all those responsible for not compromising and for not allowing us to have the same rights no matter what the hell you called it. My grandmother taught me that you get more bees with honey than anything else. If we were so concerned about getting the same rights we would drop the word marriage for now, get the rights and call it marriage after we got the legislation passed. You will never get gay marriage passed in this generation and only until this generation dies off will you get the word gay marriage approved as such. and that sucks for all of us that have relationships older than those that are so called activist that are no compromising on the issues. You are screwing it up for us that will never get to enjoy the same rights. Thanks for nothing here in NYC. Congratulations to those states that are getting it passed and will get it passed but here in NY it is not going to happen for many years to come. That is a guarantee.
When will states like Ohio, Florida and Colorado allow gay marriage, geez?
For all those that do not understand why it will not happen in NY, it is because 3 democrats have taken a stand against the use of the words gay marriage and therefore will not allow the motion to come out of committee and secret deals were made to ensure that this would not come out for a vote. There are 3 democrats who make the difference in getting it passed or failing the bill. If we were to change the wording to anything but gay marriage the entire bill would pass and we would have the benefit of having the same rights as everyone else. Follow this story and you will see that it cannot pass under the current leadership of the democratic senate with the wording as
“GAY MARRIAGE”
Sorry to hear such pessimism from you Sam. I beg to differ with you though. The “word” Marriage IS important Sam! Why? Because words carry MEANING! F*ck civil unions! If THAT term is so important than how come the breeders don’t just drop their little “marriage” title, eh? certain words carry certain implications Sam. If your relationship with your partner really meant that much to you you would travel to New England, get married, yes, MARRIED and then return back to NY State where your MARRIAGE would be legally recognized. Case closed. Don’t be such sour grapes Sam. Once again New Englanders are leading the way. Hey, somebody’s gotta do it right?
) Peace out.
Right,, we need to stop using the term “Gay marriage” and instead use MARRIAGE EQUALITY.
And as far as bullsh*t civil unions, domestic partnerships, butt buddies, down low brothas or any other separate and UNequal institution, we as a community need to reject them. There will always be those self hating f*ggots who are willing to accept whatever bones or handful of rights thrown to them. But we need don’t need those kinds of people at the table anyway, let them eat off the floor, that’s what they seem to like anyway.
http://www.governor.nh.gov/news/2009/042909.html
For Immediate Release Gov. Lynch Statement Regarding Passage of Same-Sex Marriage Legislation
“I recognize that the issue of same-sex marriage is intensely passionate and personal, and raises strong emotions on all sides.
“I still believe the fundamental issue is about providing the same rights and protections to same-sex couples as are available to heterosexual couples. This was accomplished through the passage of the civil unions law two years ago. To achieve further real progress, the federal government would need to take action to recognize New Hampshire civil unions.”
We need to call and harass this son of a b*tch, his wife and family until he does the right thing and signs the bill. Let’s start right NOW.
Contact:
April 29, 2009 Communications Director
Office of the Governor
603-271-2121