gay marriage | New Hampshire Fay Law Blog

Contents:

• NEW HAMPSHIRE LEGALIZ GAY MARRIAGE
• NEW HAMPSHIRE LATT STATE TO ALLOW SAME-SEX MARRIAGESTATE BE SIXTH TO ALLOW SAME-SEX {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}LIFEBY GIL KFMANJUNE 4, 2009/1:35 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}BY GIL KFMANJUNE 4, 2009 / 1:35 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"NEW HAMPSHIRE LATT STATE TO ALLOW SAME-SEX MARRIAGE","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2009-06-04T17:35:41.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2009-06-04T17:35:41.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"MTV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"MTV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1280,"HEIGHT":720}},"CREATOR":"GIL KFMAN","ARTICLESECTN":"LIFE"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ON WEDNDAY, NEW HAMPSHIRE BEME THE SIXTH STATE TO ALLOW GAY UPL TO WED. THE NEW HAMPSHIRE LEGISLATURE APPROVED REVISNS TO A SAME-SEX-MARRIAGE BILL, AND WAS PROMPTLY SIGNED BY DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR JOHN LYNCH, ACRDG TO THE NEW YORK {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE BILL WAS PASSED AFTER PROVISNS REQUTED BY LYNCH WERE ADD THAT ENSURED WOULD NOT FORCE RELIG ANIZATNS THAT OPPOSE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE TO PARTICIPATE CEREMONI CELEBRATG . THE ORIGAL BILL EXEMPTED MEMBERS OF THE CLERGY OM HAVG TO PERFORM SAME-SEX MARRIAG, BUT LYNCH SAID HE WOULD VETO UNLS LANGUAGE WAS ADD THAT WOULD ALSO EXEMPT RELIG GROUPS AND THEIR EMPLOYE OM HAVG TO TAKE PART SUCH {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LYNCH HAD LONG SUPPORTED CIVIL UNNS FOR SAME-SEX UPL -- WHICH AFFORD SOME, BUT NOT ALL, OF THE RIGHTS AND RPONSIBILI AS MARRIAGE -- BUT HAD NOT ENDORSED MARRIAGE FOR GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN A STATEMENT FOLLOWG THE SIGNG OF THE BILL, HE SAID THE ARGUMENTS HE HEARD FAVOR OF FULL MARRIAGE RIGHTS FOR GAYS NVCED HIM THAT "A SEPARATE SYSTEM IS NOT AN EQUAL SYSTEM. ... TODAY, WE ARE STANDG UP FOR THE LIBERTI OF SAME-SEX UPL BY MAKG CLEAR THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE THE SAME RIGHTS, RPONSIBILI -- AND RPECT -- UNR NEW HAMPSHIRE LAW." NEW HAMPSHIRE PASSED A CIVIL-UNN LAW TWO YEARS AGO, AND THOSE UNNS WILL NOW NVERT TO MARRIAG ON JANUARY 1, 2011, IF THE UPL DON'T TAKE ACTN TO NVERT THEM {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE NEW MARRIAGE LAW WILL TAKE EFFECT JANUARY 1. GAY MARRIAGE BEME LEGAL IOWA APRIL, JOG MASSACHETTS, MAE, CONNECTICUT AND VERMONT AS STAT THAT ALLOW SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. NEW YORK IS ALSO NSIRG A BILL THAT WOULD LEGALIZE GAY MARRIAGE THAT STATE, AND GAY-RIGHTS ADVOT CALIFORNIA HAVE VOWED TO TRY AND PUT A REFERENDUM ON THE 2010 BALLOT AN EFFORT TO OVERTURN [ARTICLE ID="1598748"]PROPOSN 8[/ARTICLE], WHICH PASSED NOVEMBER AND REFED MARRIAGE THE STATE AS UNNS BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HEAD TO TO FD A MUNY WHERE YOU, YOUR IENDS AND YOUR FAVORE CELEBRI N GET RMED, GET HEARD AND TAKE ACTN ON THE ISSU THAT MATTER TO YOU {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• N.H. LAWMAKERS CONSIR ROLLG BACK GAY MARRIAGE
• GAY MARRIAGE

NEW HAMPSHIRE LEGALIZ GAY MARRIAGE

New Hampshire beme the sixth state to legalize gay marriage Wednday a move that reflects the state's changg mographics om reliably Republin and nservative to younger and more liberal. John Lynch -- who personally oppos gay marriage -- signed the legislatn Wednday afternoon.

NEW HAMPSHIRE LATT STATE TO ALLOW SAME-SEX MARRIAGESTATE BE SIXTH TO ALLOW SAME-SEX {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}LIFEBY GIL KFMANJUNE 4, 2009/1:35 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}BY GIL KFMANJUNE 4, 2009 / 1:35 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"NEW HAMPSHIRE LATT STATE TO ALLOW SAME-SEX MARRIAGE","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2009-06-04T17:35:41.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2009-06-04T17:35:41.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"MTV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"MTV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1280,"HEIGHT":720}},"CREATOR":"GIL KFMAN","ARTICLESECTN":"LIFE"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ON WEDNDAY, NEW HAMPSHIRE BEME THE SIXTH STATE TO ALLOW GAY UPL TO WED. THE NEW HAMPSHIRE LEGISLATURE APPROVED REVISNS TO A SAME-SEX-MARRIAGE BILL, AND WAS PROMPTLY SIGNED BY DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR JOHN LYNCH, ACRDG TO THE NEW YORK {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE BILL WAS PASSED AFTER PROVISNS REQUTED BY LYNCH WERE ADD THAT ENSURED WOULD NOT FORCE RELIG ANIZATNS THAT OPPOSE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE TO PARTICIPATE CEREMONI CELEBRATG . THE ORIGAL BILL EXEMPTED MEMBERS OF THE CLERGY OM HAVG TO PERFORM SAME-SEX MARRIAG, BUT LYNCH SAID HE WOULD VETO UNLS LANGUAGE WAS ADD THAT WOULD ALSO EXEMPT RELIG GROUPS AND THEIR EMPLOYE OM HAVG TO TAKE PART SUCH {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LYNCH HAD LONG SUPPORTED CIVIL UNNS FOR SAME-SEX UPL -- WHICH AFFORD SOME, BUT NOT ALL, OF THE RIGHTS AND RPONSIBILI AS MARRIAGE -- BUT HAD NOT ENDORSED MARRIAGE FOR GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN A STATEMENT FOLLOWG THE SIGNG OF THE BILL, HE SAID THE ARGUMENTS HE HEARD FAVOR OF FULL MARRIAGE RIGHTS FOR GAYS NVCED HIM THAT "A SEPARATE SYSTEM IS NOT AN EQUAL SYSTEM. ... TODAY, WE ARE STANDG UP FOR THE LIBERTI OF SAME-SEX UPL BY MAKG CLEAR THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE THE SAME RIGHTS, RPONSIBILI -- AND RPECT -- UNR NEW HAMPSHIRE LAW." NEW HAMPSHIRE PASSED A CIVIL-UNN LAW TWO YEARS AGO, AND THOSE UNNS WILL NOW NVERT TO MARRIAG ON JANUARY 1, 2011, IF THE UPL DON'T TAKE ACTN TO NVERT THEM {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE NEW MARRIAGE LAW WILL TAKE EFFECT JANUARY 1. GAY MARRIAGE BEME LEGAL IOWA APRIL, JOG MASSACHETTS, MAE, CONNECTICUT AND VERMONT AS STAT THAT ALLOW SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. NEW YORK IS ALSO NSIRG A BILL THAT WOULD LEGALIZE GAY MARRIAGE THAT STATE, AND GAY-RIGHTS ADVOT CALIFORNIA HAVE VOWED TO TRY AND PUT A REFERENDUM ON THE 2010 BALLOT AN EFFORT TO OVERTURN [ARTICLE ID="1598748"]PROPOSN 8[/ARTICLE], WHICH PASSED NOVEMBER AND REFED MARRIAGE THE STATE AS UNNS BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HEAD TO TO FD A MUNY WHERE YOU, YOUR IENDS AND YOUR FAVORE CELEBRI N GET RMED, GET HEARD AND TAKE ACTN ON THE ISSU THAT MATTER TO YOU {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Lynch, a Democrat, had promised a veto if the law didn't clearly spell out that church and relig groups would not be forced to officiate at gay marriag or provi other servic. Massachetts, Connecticut, Mae, Vermont and Iowa already allow gay marriage, though opponents hope to overturn Mae's law wh a public vote. California briefly allowed gay marriage before a public vote banned ; a urt lg grandfathered upl who were already married.

Surround by gay marriage supporters, Lynch signed the bill about an hour later. Gene Robson, elected New Hampshire 2003 as the first openly gay bishop the Epispal Church, was among those celebratg the new law. "It is no surprise that the Legislature fally passed the last piece to the gay marriage bill today.

After all, when you take 12 vot on five eratns of the same issue, you're bound to get passed sooner or later, " said Kev Smh, executive director of gay marriage opponent Cornerstone Policy Rearch. "The pro-gay marriage people have been very disgenuo, " said Fenton Groen, 59, of Rochter, N. Speakg 2005, the panel’s chair, Republin reprentative Tony Soltani of Epsom, said he wanted to protect tradnal marriage as well as the rights of gay and lbian upl.

N.H. LAWMAKERS CONSIR ROLLG BACK GAY MARRIAGE

"Several panel members said that vote showed the missn was only payg lip service to securg rights for gays and lbians.

"That's what our charge was on this missn, and we chose to ignore that charge, and lve to the realm of homophobia stead. Fifty years om now, when gay marriage has bee a fa acpli, and everybody realiz 's somethg that should've happened a lot sooner, history will look back shame wh what this missn has cid to do.

"The ernor didn’t want to, he had mpaigned agast gay marriage beg passed when he ra 2008, sayg let’s give civil unns a try… and when got to the Senate there was still reluctance to al wh bee we had a recsn and some other issu. New Hampshire had seen several high profile stori up close: Charlie Man, a New Hampshire Natnal Guard member who sued to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act to see that her wife uld receive survivor benefs after her ath, and Gene Robson, elected the first openly gay Epispal bishop and a vol backer of same-sex marriage. Ryan Richman is -chair of the New Hampshire chapter of the Gay, Lbian and Straight Edutn Network, known as GLSEN-NH.

GAY MARRIAGE

"In many stat this untry, you n you n be fired for beg gay. In many stat this untry you n be nied hog bee you’re gay. So did Ed Smh of Haverhill, Massachetts, a member of the Portsmouth-based group Seaast Gay Men.

"Tryg to live my gay life has been very challengg unr the social nstrats of people tryg to gus who you are, what you are, stead of jt acceptg me as I am. State to thorize gay marriage, epeng a New England niche for same-sex weddgs and the spendg that wh Hampshire’s Democratic-ntrolled Hoe of Reprentativ endorsed gay marriage a 198-176 vote, hours after the state Senate approved the legislatn 14-10 along party l, makg the state the fourth this year to back gay marriage the Uned Stat.

“Today, we are standg up for the liberti of same-sex upl by makg clear that they will receive the same rights, rponsibili, and rpect, unr New Hampshire law, ” Lynch said a law also regniz out-of-state gay marriag and civil unns, which are legal jt a handful of U. But Senate and Hoe members met last week to approve new language givg clergy and relig stutns opposed to gay marriage greater protectns, cludg the legal right to cle to marry same-sex upl. Opponents, mostly relig nservativ, see gay marriage as a threat to the “tradnal fay” that is ordaed by God and the foundatn of civilizatn.

Organizatns affiliated wh relig groups that operate for charable or tnal purpos n ny marriage servic to gay dividuals, adds.

Republin state Senator Sheila Roberge said Democrats should support Republin lls for a referendum so voters n ci the a few untri, mostly European natns, allow gay marriage. Stat explicly prohib same-sex marriage, cludg 29 wh nstutnal week, California’s supreme urt backed a ban on gay marriage by upholdg a voter-approved proposn fg marriage as between a man and a stark ntrast, gay-marriage laws are expandg swiftly on the East Coast, pecially New England where Massachetts beme the first state to allow gay people to marry five years and lbian weddgs have boosted the Massachetts enomy by about $111 ln, acrdg to a study by the Williams Instute of the Universy of upl have been gettg married Connecticut sce last year and Iowa sce April.