Same-sex marriage measure sails through Vermont Senate

By Adam Silverman, USA TODAY

The Vermont Senate on Monday evening overwhelmingly passed a bill that could legalize same-sex marriage in the state.

The state Senate voted 26-4 in favor of the measure introduced by Democratic state Sen. John Campbell. The bill now goes to the state House, where Speaker Shap Smith, also a Democrat, predicted a majority would vote in favor of the "marriage equality" act. The House Judiciary Committee is expected to begin debating the bill Tuesday. A second vote in the state Senate also is expected Tuesday.

Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas, a Republican, has refused to answer questions about whether he would sign the measure, veto it or allow it to become law without his signature. He has said that he believes marriage should be between one man and one woman.

Smith refused to say Monday whether he believed there were enough votes in the Democrat-controlled House to override a gubernatorial veto.

Vermont became the first state in the nation to enact civil unions for gay couples nearly 10 years ago, but advocates say the following decade has demonstrated that civil unions and marriage, as separate institutions, are unequal and relegate same-sex couples to second-class status.

If the marriage bill becomes Vermont law, the state would be the first in the country to enact gay marriage by a vote of the Legislature. Other states that permit homosexual couples to wed have done so by court order.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-0...-marriage_N.htm

Video of Senate speeches:

http://www.365gay.com/blog/vanasco-vermont...o-gay-marriage/

Not all clear sailing for the gay marriage bill as Governor Jim Douglas, a Republican, opposes the bill. He has not said whether he will veto it.

Gov said yesterday he'd veto it. NY Times article speculated they probably had enough votes for an override.

What a change a few years brings. I don't think 10 years ago I would have thought we'd get to here.