Vermont gov. to veto gay marriage bill

[ccharles000]

http://www.365gay.com/news/vermont-gov-to-veto-gay-marriage-bill/

(Montpelier, Vermont) Vermont Gov. James Douglas (R) announced Wednesday that he will veto same-sex marriage legislation if it, as expected, passes the House.

Until now, Douglas has been silent on whether he would exercise his veto power, saying only that he thinks the state’s civil unions law is sufficient.

The gay marriage bill passed the Senate on Monday 26-4. The House began hearings this week on the legislation.

It is expected that the bill will encounter little difficulty in the House, but the vote will be much closer than in the Senate.

Whether it will garner enough House support to override the veto is unclear.

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 marriage bill, 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.

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.

Opponents say gay marriage would undermine traditional male-female marriage, rendering men and women interchangeable and destroying the connection between children and marriage. They want the question put to voters in a referendum.

[ikojo]

1. This begs the question...how on earth

can such a thing as a gay REPUBLICAN group such as the Log Cabin Republicans exist? It's like Jews for Hitler!

[redqueen]

3. $$$$$ (nt)

[BlooInBloo]

11. Of FAR more interest is how straight (or christian, or white) folks can be republicans....

Have THEY no morals or conscience?

Why ask about the most minuscule part of the party? Take on the big part.

[Posteritatis]

2. With that kind of margin is overriding possible? (nt)

[FreeState]

4. Yes its possible - is it probable though? Dont know n/t

[krispos42]

5. Why does Vermont even have a Republican governor?

Errr, excuse me, soon to be ex-governor?


:banghead:

[bigwillq]

6. So does Connecticut

that state has a history of electing repuke Govs.

[krispos42]

10. I'm a CT native

There are a lot of rich people in Connecticut, especially in Fairfield County. Proximity to NYC and all that.


Vermont... not so much. And they have Bernie Sanders as a longtime federal representative.

[bigwillq]

12. And I live in CT.

And the poor parts of the state are really suffering, but Fairfield County raises are per capita income so much. CT is really a bi-polar state.

[shadowknows69]

7. So much for baby steps. My sincere apologies to our LGBT community

For the times I've tussled over this issue. I always figured civil union laws were an encouraging first step but clearly not when bigotry still exists as an institution in our government.

[cali]

9. what? that makes no sense considering the strong majority of VT

lawmakers support marriage equality. It's just the repuke asshole gov. And VT is the first state in the country to get this far with the legislative process that would institute marriage equality. In part, that's connected to having been through the civil union process and having had civil unions for the past decade.

[BlueJazz]

8. Could be good news. Since Gays are not people with Rights then they shouldn't...

...have to pay any taxes to help those that do have rights.