Same-Sex Marriage Legalized in Vermont

Posted on Apr 7, 2009

AP photo / Toby Talbot

Gay marriage advocate Beth Robinson holds back tears in Montpelier, Vt., on Tuesday following the state’s passage of a gay marriage bill. At left is Sherry Corbin and at right is Susan Murray.

Vermont has followed Iowa’s lead, becoming the fourth state to make same-sex marriage legal. On Tuesday, the Vermont Legislature overturned Gov. Jim Douglas’ veto with one more vote than was needed to make it official.

New York Times:

The step makes Vermont the first state to allow same-sex marriage through legislative action instead of a court ruling. The law goes into effect Sept. 1.

Approval had been expected in the Senate, where the vote was 23 to 5.

But the outcome in the House of Representatives was not clear until the final moments of a long roll call, when Rep. Jeff Young, a Democrat who voted against the bill last week, reversed his position. In the end the vote was 100 to 49, just slightly more than the required two-thirds majority of members present.

After the final tally, cheers erupted in both legislative chambers of the State House and in the hallways outside, and several lawmakers on both sides of the debate looked stunned.

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