NH Legislature approves gay marriage bill

After several tries, New Hampshire's legislature says yes to gay marriage. Rep. Steve Vaillancourt (R, Manchester) says of the effort he supported, "we knew this would be a marathon. We never thought this was going to be easy, so the marathon is over."

The bill headed to the Governor's desk was amended last week in the Senate. It protects clergy, rabbis, and other officiates who don't want to preside over same sex marriage ceremonies based on their religious beliefs.

As Rep. Kris Roberts (D, Keene) says, "people's church and their religion is really important to them, and the government doesn't belong in the church, just like the government doesn't belong in the bedroom."

Opponents say they're disappointed, especially when they look at the narrow margin. House bill 436 passed by just eleven votes, 178 to 167.

House Minority Leader Rep. Sherman Packard (R, Londonderry) says, "I firmly believe this is not what the citizens of this state expected or wanted."

Rep Beverly Rodechin (R, Newport) vows to "really go after the Governor because the Governor has continually said he believes in marriage between a man or a woman. "

The Governor has never said what he would do should the gay marriage bill make it to his desk. "He could sign it, he could veto it, or he could let it become law without his signature," says political analyst Dean Spiliotes who doesn't see Lynch as an ideologue and doubts he'd exercise his high political capital to veto the bill. "He's in a very tough position. He draws a lot of his popularity from independents and moderates as well as democrats."

Lawmakers aren't the only ones wanting to know what Governor John Lynch plans to do next. Interest groups on both sides of this issue are spending money to put their message on his desk.

The New Hampshire based Cornerstone Policy Research - Action launched an ad Wednesday to encourage Lynch to veto the bill. The New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition also has an ad on area cable networks.

The governor's spokesman, Colin Manning, says Lynch has a lot to consider over the next week, "and like always he's going to listen to the people of New Hampshire, talk to lawmakers, and make his decision based on that."

Governor Lynch has five days from the time the bill reaches his desk to act on it, or it becomes law without his signature.

http://www.necn.com/Boston/Politics/2009/05/06/NH-Legislature-approves-gay/1241652968.html
NECN: Lauren Collins, Manchester, NH