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New Hampshire Passes Gay Marriage Bill by gomag.com June 3, 2009 |
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The New Hampshire State House and Senate passed into law on June 3 a bill recognizing marriage equality for same-sex couples. It was voted 14-10 in the senate and later in the day, 198-176 in the house. The bill will now be sent to Governor John Lynch, who is expected to sign it into law.
Although same-sex couples do not receive federal rights and benefits, five states recognize same-sex marriage under law: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont (effective September 1, 2009), and Maine (also effective in September). Six states: California, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington and Washington DC give gay couples access to state level benefits through civil unions or domestic partnerships. Hawaii also provides limited benefits and New York state recognizes valid same-sex marriage from other states.
In response the New Hampshire bill Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese said in a press release, “We look forward to Gov. Lynch signing the legislation passed by the state Senate and House that would make New Hampshire the latest state to recognize that loving, committed couples, and their families, should receive equal rights and responsibilities. No religious institution will have to recognize any marriage under this law, as the language proposed by Gov. Lynch and agreed to by the legislature made abundantly clear.”
The passing of this legislation is welcome news in the wake of California's Proposition 8, which passed in November and repealed the same-sex marriage rights given to gays in California in June. The California Supreme court upheld Prop 8 after hearings last month and the amendment to the CA state constitution to ban same-sex marriage remains intact.
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