Constitutional Law

Vermont Lawmakers Pass Same-Sex Marriage Bill

Vermont legislators have successfully voted to override Gov. Jim Douglas' veto of a bill allowing lesbians and gay men to marry. The Times Argus reports that the Vermont Senate voted 23-5 and the House voted 100-49 to trump Douglas' veto. Vermont is now the fourth state to support marriage equality. Today's action comes days after the Iowa Supreme Court invalidated a state law banning gay marriage. Vermont's action comes nine years after the state approved legislation extending rights and benefits for those entering civil unions.

Also today, the Council of the District of Columbia voted 12-0 to recogonize gay marriages performed in other states. The Council, The Washington Post reports, is expected to take a final vote on the measure in May. If the marriage equality measure stands, it would still have to be approved by Congress.

The Vermont Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin hailed his fellow lawmakers, saying they 'did the right thing by overriding Governor Douglas' veto and granting equal rights to all Vermonters. The struggle for equal rights is never easy. I was proud to be President of the Senate nine years ago when Vermont led the country by creating civil unions. Today is another historic day for Vermont and I have never felt more proud as we become the first state in the country to enact marriage equality not as the result of a court order, but because it is the right thing to do.'

Full post as published by ACS Blog on April 07, 2009 (boomark / email).