New Hampshire Senate to Vote on Marriage Equality

The full New Hampshire senate is scheduled to vote Wednesday on marriage equality legislation that would make the state the fifth in the nation to legalize same-sex civil marriage.

Last week, the senate judiciary committee voted 3-2 to recommend that the Democratically-controlled chamber kill the marriage equality bill. Committee chairperson Deborah Reynolds, a Democrat, joined two Republicans, saying that New Hampshire needed more time to build consensus on the issue.

The committee’s recommendation will get the first vote tomorrow, with support from 13 of the 24 senators needed to kill the bill, according to Reuters. Should the vote split 12-12, or if the majority wants the bill to survive, the senate could consider a motion to pass it.

The bill could also be tabled indefinitely. But if it were to pass, Governor John Lynch is likely to veto it. The Democrat has expressed his preference for the same-sex civil unions already legal in New Hampshire.

When the full senate votes on Wednesday, all 10 Republicans are expected to oppose the marriage equality legislation. Support from the 14 Democrats appears mixed, according to the blog, BlueHampshire.com. Two Democrats are apt to vote against the bill, another appears to be leaning that way, three are undecided, and eight are in favor of marriage equality legislation.