Vermont Gay Marriage Report Due Monday

A state commission on whether to amend Vermont's civil union law to allow for same-sex marriage will deliver its report to the legislature on Monday.

The eleven-member commission was set up last year by the leaders of the Vermont House and Senate, both Democrats, to look into Vermont's civil unions law to see if it is providing equality for gay and lesbian couples.

After the commission submits its report it will be up to the legislature to determine what to do.

Nothing is expected to be done about it until after the election. That would mean that if the committee recommends gay marriage legislation there is no likelihood of a bill before 2009.
At hearings throughout the state commissioners were told that while the state's civil union law - the first of its kind in the nation - was a step forward same-sex couples still are not equal.
A pool released last month showed that the majority of people in the state believe gay and lesbian couples should have the right to marry.

The survey was taken of people attending town meetings across the state. It found that 54-percent said they support allowing gay couples to marry while 37-percent were opposed.

When the original civil unions bill was put to the legislature it resulted in a divisive battle. A marriage bill is likely to be equally fragmenting.