Thursday, June 4, 2009

It's law: Gay couples can soon wed in NH!! -The Sixth State!

(PHOTO: Supporters watch as Gov. John Lynch signs gay marriage into law at the State House in Concord yesterday. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS))
(ROB'S NOTE: NH finally passed the law to ensure equality of gay couples to marry. The governor requested and got some stipulations that enable churches to refuse to marry gay couples, which is okay by me- it's just a bad reflection on the churches. Regardless, Equal rights means equal for all. I'm glad to see this passed finally.)
CONCORD – Acting quickly after final Senate and House votes yesterday, Gov. John Lynch signed into law a group of three bills that allow same-sex marriage in New Hampshire. New Hampshire is the sixth state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage. The new law becomes effective Jan. 1, 2010.
Lynch signed the bills in a crowded Executive Council chamber less than 90 minutes after the House voted 198-176 to pass HB 73 (text), the final piece of the marriage package. The bills allow any two adults to marry. They also bar lawsuits against religious groups and workers if they refuse to participate in gay weddings or celebrations that go against their faiths."Today is a day to celebrate in New Hampshire. Today should not be considered a victory for some and a loss for others. Today is a victory for all the people of New Hampshire, who I believe, in our own independent way, want tolerance for all," he said.
The trio of bills go into great detail preserving the rights of religious groups. Lynch threatened to veto gay marriage if the final explicit protections in HB 73 weren't part of the new law. Lynch said that New Hampshire has done all it can to ensure marriage equality. He said changes need to be made at the federal level next. The Defense of Marriage Act reserves federal benefits such as Social Security and federal tax breaks for traditional marriages between men and women. (ROB'S NOTE: Yes, the next step is to repeal that stupid defense of Marriage Act so gay couples can have truly EQUAL rights and protections.)
FULL STORY:http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=It%27s+law%3a+Gay+couples+can+soon+wed+in+NH&articleId=d8c6860d-6235-470d-a1ac-081e01387c07

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I'm a simple guy who enjoys the simple things in life, especially our dogs. I volunteer for dog rescues, enjoy exercising, blogging, politics, helping friends and neighbors, participating in ghost investigations, coffee, weather, superheroes, comic books, mystery novels, traveling, 70s and 80s music, classic country music,writing books on ghosts and spirits, cooking simply and keeping in shape. You'll find tidbits of all of these things on this blog and more. EMAIL me at Rgutro@gmail.com - Rob

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