Maine House approves gay marriage

The vote spent three hours in impassioned debate on the bill. It received initial passage in the state Senate on April 30. The House version and that of the Senate now must be unified and undergo a final vote before going to the desk of Gov. John Baldacci.

Whether the governor will sign it is anybody’s guess at this point. Baldacci has said he has not made up his mind on gay marriage.

Same-sex marriage advocates have delivered more than 10,000 postcards asking him to support the legislation.

The legislation would repeal Maine’s 12-year old so-called Defense of Marriage law which bars same-sex marriage and make marriage gender-neutral. It also states that churches would not be compelled to conduct same-sex weddings if it would be inconsistent with their doctrine.
The conservative Maine Marriage Alliance has said that if same-sex marriage appears to be on a track to legalization it would press for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

The New Hampshire House will vote on a similar bill Wednesday. It already has passed the Senate but Gov John Lynch who has said he believes the current civil union law works fine has not said if he would veto the bill.

Same-sex marriage already is legal in three New England states - Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont

Elsewhere, same-sex marriage is legal in Iowa. New York Gov David Paterson (D) has unveiled legislation to allow same-sex couples to marry in the Empire State and in California, the Supreme Court is expected to rule this spring on the legality of Prop 8 the voter approved measure banning gay marriage in that state.


Rep. Sherly Briggs Has Gay Daughter, WILL NOT Vote For Gay Marriage

Rep. Sheryl Briggs testifying on the Maine House floor (rush transcript): "I have been struggling with this bill for months knowing it is going to come forward … that I'm going to have to choose … I'm so sorry I'm going to hurt my family, friends, citizens of the state of Maine. See, my daughter is gay. I have known this for about 15 years. Throughout all this time, I have kept my personal feelings on this matter separate … She has never ever heard me express my opposition to this in her life … I would never hurt her. I would got to end of the earth for her. But because I feel so strongly about opposed to this bill, blame it on my upbringing or the good book. … I can't change how I feel … But because of who I am and where I am and as a member of this legislative body, ethically it is my duty and responsibility to publicly say to my daughter that I do not support [gay marriage]. I just had to finally confess to her exactly how I feel and now i have no choice. I have to hit that button. Although I could say that the majority of my constituents are in opposition to this bill, to which they are, and to use that as my excuse to my decision making process, but that would not be fair to me, my daughter, or my constituents. I am sorry that there is no other way we could compromise to make things better for everyone, because that's what we do as legislators. We are here to fix things. To make things better for everybody. I feel like I need to let everyone citizen know that the decision we make here today is not an easy one. … I ask each citizen in the state of Maine on both sides of the aisle to please respect our individual decisions."

Maine's Rep David Burns: Gay Marriage Is About 'Selfish Needs'

Maine's Rep. David Burns, quoting the Bible while testifying on the Maine House floor (rush transcript): "Marriage between one man and woman is a basic building block for society. … I don't believe this [bill] is about love and equality. I believe this is in fact of recognition and legitimization of … a tiny segment of our society for selfish needs. … Many of us accept gay and lesbian people on their own personal merits … but we do disdain the destruction of the institution of marriage. That is what this bill is all about. … This will have a far reaching and negative impact on our children, parents, education, religion. … Please vote no on this."