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: JURIST - The Paper Chase

New Hampshire House rejects amended same-sex marriage bill

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

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[JURIST] The New Hampshire House of Representatives on Wednesday rejected a same-sex marriage bill after it was amended at the request of Governor John Lynch. The bill was defeated by a 186-188 vote after a religious liberty protection clause was added to gain Lynch's approval. The amended bill, which specified that religious groups will not be required to perform or recognize the unions, was approved by the Senate by a 14-10 vote earlier Wednesday. Representative Steve Vaillancourt (R), a supporter of same-sex marriage, voted against the religious liberty amendment on the principle that the House should not be "bullied" by the governor. Lynch has previously opposed same-sex marriage in the state, saying that the New Hampshire civil union law passed in 2007 provides the same legal protections for same-sex couples. The previous version of the bill was approved by the House by a 186-179 vote in March. Recently, the New York State Assembly passed a bill that would allow same-sex marriages to be performed in the state. That bill will now go before the state senate. Earlier this month, Maine became the fifth state to allow same-sex marriage when Governor John Baldacci signed a same-sex marriage bill into law. Last month, Vermont became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage through a vote of the legislature, joining Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Iowa as the other states that allow same-sex marriage.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on May 21, 2009 (boomark / email).