In NH Gay marriage accord reached

Posted on May 31, 2009
Filed Under Uncategorized

ouse and Senate negotiators reached yesterday agreement on a compromise gay-marriage bill amendment aimed at winning a signature by Gov. John Lynch.

Members of a conference committee took just over two hours to agree on language they say gives more emphasis to the Legislature’s intent to protect religious freedoms regarding same-sex marriage.

The bill will be voted on next week, as the third piece of a three-part gay-marriage proposal. Two bills have already passed — House Bill 436, the main bill, and HB 310, with technical changes — but a third became necessary when Lynch said he would veto the bills unless extra protections for religious groups were added. Language in the two bills that exempted clergy from performing marriages that their religions do not accept did not go far enough, Lynch said.

The Senate then passed HB 73, containing language Lynch demanded, but the House vote on May 20 fell short 186-188.

See Gay marriage accord reached The Union Leader

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