Steven, article...liberals taking "control" and "forcing" their cultural will once again.
Vermont Votes 'Civil Unions' Into Law
By Lawrence Morahan
CNS Staff Writer
25 April, 2000
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Montpelier, VT (CNSNews.com) - Against the wishes of the majority of Vermonters, its state legislature Tuesday voted to grant same sex couples the equivalent rights enjoyed by heterosexual married couples in a bill that will have far reaching implications across America, even in states that define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
During non-binding town hall meetings in March, a majority of Vermont's voters rejected the idea of homosexual unions by margins of up to 3-1.
The "civil unions" bill, which passed by 79-68 in a bitterly divided legislature, is almost identical to a bill that passed in the Vermont house March 16 by 76-69.
The legislation will enable same sex couples to legally demand that their civil union be accepted in other states much as they can their driver's license.
In states such as California, where residents recently voted to recognize marriage as only between a man and a woman in Proposition 22, the law may very well require homosexual couple's civil unions be recognized since they are not called a marriage.
The original bill was amended slightly by the state senate and approved by that body April 19 by 19-11 vote. Both bodies passed the law largely along party lines.
A significant difference between the bills is that the law will go into effect July 1 instead of September 1 as proposed in the original.
The measure now goes to the desk of Governor Howard Dean (D), who said he will sign it into law.
Tuesday's vote followed an emotional debate in the House legislature - with Civil Union supporters wearing pink stickers and opponents sporting white ribbons - packed the visitor's gallery as legislators spoke of the deep rifts that this debate has brought to Vermont.
The final bill did not include an amendment that would have required state residency for the granting of civil unions, which means that out-of-staters now can have their civil union performed in Vermont and asked that it be recognized in their state of residency. |
