Maine’s Governor just signed same-sex marriage into law. I’m proud of my home state today. I’ll visit Maine next month and am really looking forward to my visit now.
From MSNBC:
Maine enacts law allowing gay marriages
State becomes fifth to do so; New Hampshire could decide later today
The Associated Press
updated 9:59 a.m. PT, Wed., May 6, 2009
AUGUSTA, Maine – Gov. John Baldacci signed a bill Wednesday allowing gay marriages, making Maine the fifth state in the nation to do so.
Earlier Wednesday, the Maine Senate voted 21-13, with one absent, for a bill that authorizes marriage between any two people rather than between one man and one woman, as state law currently allows. The House had passed the bill Tuesday.
Debate was brief. Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell, D-Vassalboro, turned the gavel over to an openly gay member, Sen. Lawrence Bliss, D-South Portland, to preside over the final vote.
Republican Sen. Debra Plowman of Hampden argued that the bill was being passed “at the expense of the people of faith.”
“You are making a decision that is not well-founded,” warned Plowman.
But Senate Majority Leader Philip Bartlett II said the bill does not compel religious institutions to recognize gay marriage.
“We respect religious liberties. … This is long overdue,” said Bartlett, D-Gorham.
Maine became the fourth state in New England to allow same-sex marriages. Connecticut enacted a bill after being ordered to allow gay marriages by the courts, and Vermont passed a bill over the governor’s veto. Massachusetts’ high court has ordered the state to recognize gay marriages.
New Hampshire’s House was also expected to vote on a gay marriage bill Wednesday and send it to Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat who has not indicated whether he would sign the legislation.
In Rhode Island, a bill to legalize same-sex marriage has been introduced but is not expected to pass this year.
Outside New England, Iowa is recognizing gay marriages on court orders. The practice was briefly legal in California before voters banned it.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30602151/
