Gay marriage bill passes Vermont Senate

[MaineDem]

Source: NECN

(NECN/WPTZ: Montpelier, VT) - A bill that would add Vermont to the list of states legalizing gay marriage went before the State Senate today. The measure would replace Vermont's first in the nation civil unions law.

Late this afternoon, the Senate voted 26-4 to advance the same-sex marriage equality bill on to the House of Representatives. The House will begin its consideration of the bill tomorrow. The big question is whether or not Governor Jim Douglas will veto the bill.

Read more: http://www.necn.com/Boston/New-England/2009/03/23/Gay-marriage-bill-passes/1237845305.html

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It will come up for a vote in Maine later this spring.

[and-justice-for-all]

1. Kick Ass...!

[Spazito]

2. A big step forward! Great news!

It sounds like the House passing it is not a concern but, rather, the Governor is the problem.

[krispos42]

3. Equality before the law

What a radical concept!

[Starry Messenger]

4. K&R.

Good job Vermont. Those senators who voted yea are an example to all.

[cali]

5. Out of the 7 Repubs, 4 voted for marriage equality

and only one dem, Bobby Starr, voted against it.

[pleah]

6. K&R

[roughsatori]

7. Kick NT

[iandhr]

8. here is the Burlington Free Press Article

http://burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090323/NEWS03/90323025

[nichomachus]

10. Just for the record

there was only one donation from VT for Prop H8 -- and that was only $100

versus millions and millions from Utah.

[xchrom]

9. recommend

[iandhr]

11. Senate OKs Marriage Bill

Source: Burlington Free Press

The Vermont Senate voted 26-4 today in favor of the same-sex marriage bill.

The bill will have third reading and vote Tuesday. All bills have three readings. It is designed for people to reconsider or amend an item, but it unlikely that a vote would change on a third reading. A similar measure begins moving through the House on Tuesday with testimony before the House Judiciary Committee. A full vote on that measure wouldn't come before next week.

The four senators who voted against the measure are: Randy Brock (R-Franklin County), Vince Illuzzi (R-Essex/Orleans), Hull Maynard (R-Rutland County) and Bobby Starr (D-Essex/Orleans).

Senators who had been undecided, including Sen. Dick Mazza (D-Chittenden/Grand Isle), Phil Scott (R-Washington) and Bill Doyle (R-Washington), all voted in favor of the bill.

Read more: http://burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090323/NEWS03/90323025

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All Right Vermont

[GinaMaria]

12. K and R.

[JerseygirlCT]

13. Great news - thanks nt

[Chipper Chat]

14. What do you Vermonters think?

Will the republican governor listen to the RNC and Rush, or will he listen to the people of Vermont?

[cali]

15. he definitely won't listen to Rush or the RNC

both are deeply unpopular here, and here is where he needs to get re-elected if he decides to run for a fifth term. (VT has two year terms). Will he decide for whatever reason to veto? Hard to see the upside in that for him considering that the majority of Vermonters support marriage equality.

[Chipper Chat]

16. w00t

Vermont sounds like a great state to move to.

[SPedigrees]

17. Our governor has said he may allow the bill to pass into law

...without signing it.

At least it should pass. Douglas may be a dickhead but he recognizes that he is outnumbered and also he is cognizant of the income that civil unions/gay marriages bring to our state.

(I miss our former Governor Howard Dean, who risked his political career to sign civil unions into law.)

[comtec]

18. Same Sex Marriage bill in NEW ENGLAND

Source: Boston Globe

In a special session, the Vermont Senate yesterday voted to legalize same-sex marriage. Later this week, a similar bill is scheduled for a vote in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. Next month a legislative panel in Maine will hold a hearing on a bill to allow gay couples to marry, just as lawmakers did last month in Rhode Island.

Little more than five years after the Supreme Judicial Court legalized marriage for same-sex couples in Massachusetts, gay advocates say they're coming closer to their goal of extending gay marriage to all New England states by 2012.

"One of the advantages of New England is that we share geography and media markets, so folks in other states have seen marriage in Massachusetts for five years and can see the good," said Lee Swislow, executive director of the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, who has called for New England to be a "marriage equality zone." "I think the efforts build on each other. What happens in one state inspires folks in other states, and hopefully it will inspire the rest of the country."

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2009/03/24/same_sex_marriage_bills_gain_in_ne/

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Yay =]
2 down.... :)
There... fixed :p
Because everyone knows boston is a well known city in nebraska!

[bigworld]

19. Oh, New England. I thought you meant Nebraska

Snowball's chance there!!!

[billyoc]

20. I read it five times looking for the Nebraska connection.

:rofl:

[ShortnFiery]

21. Oh gee, you got my hopes up for nothing. I thought NE meant Nebraska not New England. :(

[Ohio Joe]

22. Bravo Vermont - nt

[Matariki]

23. Happiness!!!