gay marriage legalized in New Hampshire

[Caliga]

Come on Timmy, get Rhode Island in line now! 

Gay marriage bill signed into law in New Hampshire

By NORMA LOVE – 53 minutes ago

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire became the sixth state to legalize gay marriage after the Senate and House passed key language on religious rights and Gov. John Lynch — who personally opposes gay marriage — signed the legislation Wednesday afternoon.

After rallies outside the Statehouse by both sides in the morning, the last of three bills in the package went to the Senate, which approved it 14-10 Wednesday afternoon.

Cheers from the gallery greeted the key vote in the House, which passed it 198-176. Surrounded by gay marriage supporters, Lynch signed the bill about an hour later.

"Today, we are standing up for the liberties of same-sex couples by making clear that they will receive the same rights, responsibilities — and respect — under New Hampshire law," Lynch said.

Lynch, a Democrat, had promised a veto if the law didn't clearly spell out that churches and religious groups would not be forced to officiate at gay marriages or provide other services. Legislators made the changes.

Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont and Iowa already allow gay marriage, though opponents hope to overturn Maine's law with a public vote.

California briefly allowed gay marriage before a public vote banned it; a court ruling grandfathered in couples who were already married.

The New Hampshire law will take effect Jan. 1, exactly two years after the state began recognizing civil unions.

The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, elected in New Hampshire in 2003 as the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church, was among those celebrating the new law.

"It's about being recognized as whole people and whole citizens," Robinson said.

"There are a lot of people standing here who when we grew up could not have imagined this," he said. "You can't imagine something that is simply impossible. It's happened, in our lifetimes."

Opponents, mainly Republicans, objected on grounds including the fragmented process.

"It is no surprise that the Legislature finally passed the last piece to the gay marriage bill today. After all, when you take 12 votes on five iterations of the same issue, you're bound to get it passed sooner or later," said Kevin Smith, executive director of gay marriage opponent Cornerstone Policy Research.

The revised bill added a sentence specifying that all religious organizations, associations or societies have exclusive control over their religious doctrines, policies, teachings and beliefs on marriage.

It also clarified that church-related organizations that serve charitable or educational purposes are exempt from having to provide insurance and other benefits to same-sex spouses of employees.

The House rejected the language Lynch suggested two weeks ago by two votes. Wednesday's vote was on a revised bill negotiated with the Senate.

Supporters had considered Wednesday their last chance to pass a bill this year.

The law will establish civil and religious marriage licenses and allow each party to the marriage to be identified as bride, groom or spouse. Same-sex couples already in civil unions will automatically be assumed to have a "civil marriage."

Churches will be able to decide whether to conduct religious marriages for same-sex couples. Civil marriages would be available to both heterosexual and same-sex couples.

New Hampshire's decision leaves Rhode Island as the only New England state not to allow same-sex marriages. A bill there is expected to fail this year, as similar ones have in previous years.

[Faeelin]

Let's hope Obama can restrain himself from a press release reiterating his opposition to gay marriage this time.

Anyway, predictions on the next state to legalize it? I'm gonna go with New Jersey beating New York, which, oddly, won't get it until... 2015 or so.

[Caliga]

Well, Rhode Island prolly won't until 2011 or later, since IIRC that's when the Republican governor (who said he'd veto gay marriage) leaves office... since there are lots of uneducated Catholics there, I doubt gay marriage support is popular enough to put pressure on the legislature to pass it by any sort of resounding majority that could come back and override the veto.

Jersey is a possibility, as are Delaware and Maryland, since I think the hick population in those states is smaller than the suburbanite/urbanite populations.  OTOH, there are lots of blacks in Wilmington and Baltimore and blacks overwhelmingly hate gays for some reason I've never understood (I guess they are jealous of their victim status or something).

I would think Wisconsin and Minnesota are also possibilities, as those states are trending liberal, are well-educated, and lack blacks who as previously stated viciously hate gays.

[Ed Anger]

[Faeelin]

Well, Rhode Island prolly won't until 2011 or later, since IIRC that's when the Republican governor (who said he'd veto gay marriage) leaves office... since there are lots of uneducated Catholics there, I doubt gay marriage support is popular enough to put pressure on the legislature to pass it by any sort of resounding majority that could come back and override the veto.

Interestingly, the results of this poll were surprising: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jcMDVFaAk2UVBxT5PPNGoGVT2O3AD98ERB480

Jersey is a possibility, as are Delaware and Maryland, since I think the hick population in those states is smaller than the suburbanite/urbanite populations.  OTOH, there are lots of blacks in Wilmington and Baltimore and blacks overwhelmingly hate gays for some reason I've never understood (I guess they are jealous of their victim status or something).

The reason I said New Jersey is that there's a feeling it's a fait accompli if Corzine wins reelection; it's unclear how likely this is, since he's currently behind in the polls, but we'll see.

[Caliga]

[Ed Anger]

[garbon]

Don't worry, we aren't going to stop until everyone is gay married.

[Neil]

400 legislators for New Hampshire?

The US is the worst country ever.

Gay marriage is evil.

[katmai]

The US is the worst country ever.

You do realize coming from you this is a compliment?

[PDH]

He does have a point about the 400 legislators for New Hampshire...

[Neil]

The US is the worst country ever.

You do realize coming from you this is a compliment?

Take pride in your bloated system if you like.

[garbon]

Take pride in your bloated system if you like.

I don't think anyone takes pride in New Hampshire.

[katmai]

He does have a point about the 400 legislators for New Hampshire...

Oh i'll concede the point, i mean that is like 1 legislator per 3 people for that state or something.

[katmai]

Take pride in your bloated system if you like.

I don't think anyone takes pride in New Hampshire.

Indeed I take pride that the "Neil Persona" who is a racist homophobe monarchist hates USA, wouldn't want it any other way.