Bill to legalize gay marriage filed in Vermont

[nichomachus]

Vermont to consider gay marriage

MONTPELIER, Vt.—Nine years after becoming the first state to permit civil unions, Vermont moved a step toward legalizing gay marriage Friday.

A bill that would allow same-sex unions was introduced in the Legislature, and several hundred gay and lesbian people gathered at the Statehouse to celebrate and lobby lawmakers. A similar bill is expected to be introduced later in the state Senate.

"This really is a great day and a part of moving forward to a time when all Vermont couples will be treated equally under our laws," said sponsor state Rep. Mark Larson, D-Burlington.

The House legislation has 59 sponsors, none of them Republican, though some GOP lawmakers have said they'll vote for the bill, according to Larson.

"I'm confident that we will have tri-partisan support for the bill when it comes up," he said.

[TheWraith]

1. Um, "tri-partisan"? nt

[rch35]

3. they have a very strong independent presence, i think nt

[Oak2004]

7. No, not independent: *Progressive*

The Vermont Progressive Party is recognized as a major party in this state.

Bernie is one of is in fact, but needs to be a nominal "independent" in order to caucus with the Dems in Washington. Other than Bernie I know no Progs who call themselves "independent". We do, after all, take some pride in our party.

[rch35]

11. thanks for the info, i wasnt aware of all that nt

[Oak2004]

12. Yes: notice that Dave Zuckerman has a "P" after his name, as in

"P-Burlington", in the article. That's not a misprint: he's a Prog.

[NOW tense]

2. Go Vermont!

Equal rights for all!
:D :toast: :bounce: :fistbump: :yourock: :woohoo: :applause:


:patriot:

[tabbycat31]

4. go Vermont

and please for all you DU Vermonters out there, contact your legislators/state senators to get this passed.

Rumor had that NJ would legalize gay marriage, and I had my words twisted by my right wing legislators.

[Starry Messenger]

5. Excellent news.

And I'm still crossing my fingers for California, too.

[defendandprotect]

6. Great news . . . and we need more states to do this . . .

Go Vermont!

[crimsonblue]

8. For some reason when I read this

I was thinking that Bill Clinton was going to legalize gay marriage in Vermont. And I was like, "whoa... I need to lay off the reefer."

[Tesha]

9. New Hampshire has a bill to do that this year as well.

It probably won't pass this year, but it will pass soon.

New England is the clear leader in Marriage Equality.

Tesha

[nichomachus]

10. The great thing about this

is that I think their sources of money to fight against same-sex marriage is quickly drying up -- thanks to the CA situation.

And it's made this video all the more poignant

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x268890