Subscribe to Breaking News
Loading ...Vermont House OKs gay marriage
04.03.2009 8:32am EDT
(Montpelier, Vermont) The Vermont House on Thursday passed marriage equality legislation but not by enough of a margin to override a threatened veto by Gov. Jim Douglas (R) .
The bill passed the House on a 95-52 preliminary vote. A final vote will be held on Friday. It would need 100 votes to overturn a veto.The Senate overwhelmingly passed its version of the legislation earlier.
The two versions still need to be harmonized before going to Douglas’ desk.
The House bill would guarantee that churches would not be obligated to marry same-sex couples. Another preserves the words husband and wife on marriage licenses while affirming same-sex couples can marry, and a third allows private church-based organizations to refuse facilities and membership to gay couples.
House leaders now must try to sway the five votes to ensure it is veto-proof.
Vermont was the first state in the country to legalize civil unions in 2000. Since then, LGBT groups have criticized the law for creating a “two tiered” system – marriage for opposite-sex couples and civil unions for gays.
Under the Senate version, the civil unions law would allow marriage of same-sex partners beginning Sept. 1. Civil unions, which confer some rights similar to marriage, would still be recognized but no longer granted after Sept. 1.
Hundreds of supporters and opponents of the legislation turned out at the State House for Thursday night’s debate.
Earlier in the day, about 200 opponents staged a rally and then went into the building, jamming a hallway outside a news conference where Douglas was reiterating his opposition to the bill.
Supporters cast the debate as a civil rights issue, saying a civil unions law enacted by the state in 2000 has fallen short of the equality it promised same-sex couples. Its appeal has declined, too: In 2001, the state granted 1,876 civil unions, compared with only 262 last year.
An impact study released earlier this month suggests there is a link between the economy and gay marriage.
The study, by the Williams Institute at UCLA, found that approval of gay marriage in Vermont could generate $31 million in new spending and $3.3 million in state taxes over three years.
Last November, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, the Boston-based LGBT rights group that brought the successful legal challenges leading to same-sex marriage in Massachusetts and Connecticut launched the “Six by Twelve” campaign to legalize gay marriage throughout all six New England states by 2012
ITS SAD WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE LIKE THIS GOVENOR. IN PLACE I DONT UNDERSTAND PEOPLE LIKE HIM. THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE SAID OK AND THEN THIS NUT CASE SAYS I DONT THINK SO. VOTE HIS ASS OUT OF THERE
I suppose we should be happy that the vote in favor of gay marriage was so strong. But it is very frustrating that there are so many troglodytes out there.
Come on VERMONT! I was so proud of the state of Vermont when they first passed the civil unions bill. (I am from the west coast) It was a great step forward then, as they are trying to make now. I have hope the legislature of the state will be able to garner enough votes to make it veto proof.
I am praying (yes I said it!) that my faith in them is not misplaced.
Make us PROUD Vermont!
I agree. Governor Douglass’s views are outdated and wrong. We need this bill passed so that we can have the same rights as everyone else. Nothing short of that would be fair!
Interesting how a country (OUR COUNTRY) ..constantly BOASTS about Freedom this,and Freedom that…”Liberty & Justice for All” blah blah blah…..EMPTY Meaningless words..that mean SQUAT!
STOP calingl it GAY MARRIAGE – It’s Marriage EQUALITY
STOP calling it SAME SEX MARRIAGE – We do NOT call hetero Marriage “Opposite Sex Marriage”
If you don’t like Marriage Equality – then DON’T marry someone of the same sex
NO Religion will be forced to Marry anyone they deem “unworthy”
NO Religion will be Locked up or Fined for speaking out against LGBT people – tho Tony Perkins and the AFA WILL LIE and say otherwise(even tho that’s something Jesus would NEVER do..IF he ever existed)
America – LIVE UP TO YOUR Constant spread of LIES about Personal Freedoms..Either we are ALL Free, or NONE of us are!
When in America has the Public EVER gotten to VOTE on any other Minority Rights? THEY HAVEN’T!
When in America was Religion USED to FIGHT Equality for Blacks,Women etc etc……TOO MANY TIMES to COUNT!!!
I agree with Disgusted American, it SHOULD be called Marriage Equality NOT “Gay Marriage” nor “Same Sex Marriage”
Absolutely correct on that point
i am trying to find a list of VT House and Senate reps. with their Email addresses, preferable the ones that did NOT vote for equality!
Lets fill their Email boxes with letters…
would someone direct me (us) to list of these representatives and their email addresses?
thanks.
I have already written the governor and will do so again.
How frustrating. We win in the court, and they create a referendum to take it away. We win in the legislature, and a Republican Governor takes it away. (Douglas isn’t the first. Remember Aaahnald in California.) The rules keep changing. And no matter what, the Republicans and religious wing nuts (often indistinguishable) find a way to push us back. We can only hope that Iowa, being controlled by Democratic legislators, can be our tipping point.
Now, fight even harder to convince the governor to change his mind. Get your religious allies on side and speaking out to counter the voices of homophobes who love to use religion to justify bigotry.
Willing, here’s the info you wanted. Emails for all the house and the roll call.
I agree, we should inundate the “Nays” with emails.
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/lms/legdir/alpha.asp
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/database/status/rcdetail.cfm?Session=2010&RollCallID=55
I will be at the VT Governors mansion and the court house holding a sign “Separate is NOT Equal” and
“this is not the Old South, don’t put LGBT people in the Back of the bus”
Defeat Bigotry and Hatred for Equality…..
Who else will be there and be heard! Send to ALL your college friends, PFLAG and LGBT community and Friends, lets NOT let the Governor VETO this Bill!
The Republican, Right Wing Haters will scream loud, LETS SCREAM LOUDER FOR OUR RIGHTS!!!
Check the link out below (copy and paste) to see how the VT rep. voted. THANK those that did the RIGHT THING and Write those that didn’t adn see if we can get them to CHANGE their votes to help OVERRIDE the Gov.’s Veto!
http://www.vtfreetomarry.org/housevote.html
As a sgl Legally married individual i feel that we (the USA) should look at other countries that have legalize same sex marriage & realize their stance “it will take away from opposite sex couples” is not true. All i ask is that we as a people look outside the USA to information to support the right to get married in the USA.
Shap Smith for governor of Vermont!! Go Shap!!!!