NH legislature kills same sex marriage

[konnichi wa]

just on news, no link yet
:grr:

edit, was checking if this was a dupe, did not see it. Apparently the Dem controlled NH House rejected it 188 to 186...had already passed the state Senate.
:shrug:

[ronnykmarshall]

1. Fuck!

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

2. I don't believe him

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124284564246640215.html

This is the most recent thing I can find from 45 minutes ago.

[konnichi wa]

4. It was 'breaking' on MSNBC at 3:27 EDT, I have it TIVO'd

if you think I'm lying, I can probably figure out some way to put it online.

[MADem]

12. I found a NH cite--you're not mistaken. The bill is not dead yet, but it's "in committee"

which can be a scary place to be if no one is hovering over it and pushing and prodding it. The good news is, the NH legislature isn't full of pros--they're regular citizens, and they don't get paid shit. They don't play those political games like other legislatures do.

http://www.wmur.com/politics/19514243/detail.html

CONCORD, N.H. -- An amendment to a bill to allow same-sex marriage in New Hampshire was sent to committee on Wednesday, putting the future of the measure in doubt.

The amendment had been demanded by Gov. John Lynch, who said he would sign the bill if it provided more protections for religious institutions that did not want to participate in same-sex marriages.

The Senate earlier approved the amendment on a 14-10 party-line vote, but the House rejected the change, 188-186. The House was left with the choice to kill the amendment or send it to committee, and it elected to send it to committee.

That means the amendment could come to the floor again this session. The House will attempt to negotiate a compromise with the Senate.

Critics have said that the amendment reflects religious protections already guaranteed on the state and federal constitutions and that the bill would not protect other businesses that don't want to participate in same-sex marriages.

Supporters argued that the bill should not be written to allow discrimination.

"The language that will be added to the marriage equality bill strikes a clear and strong balance between our core values of supporting equality for all while at the same time protecting our First Amendment rights of freedom of religion," said Sen. Deborah Reynolds, D-District 2.

Republicans argued that the amendment and the bill itself are wrong. Sen. Jack Barnes, R-District 17, also said not enough time had been given to consider the consequences of the bill.

"I don't know why this thing is in such a rush and why it hasn't had more attention put to it," Barnes said.

[konnichi wa]

14. Thanks. I probably should've waited for clarification but the MSNBC 'report' was unequivocal,

if incomplete. I replayed it on the TIVO 3 times to make sure I was accurately repeating what they said.
It isn't good news regardless of the details. :mad:

[MADem]

15. You were accurate. You're right, it isn't good news. BUT....

like I said, the NH legislature is not full of pros--they only make something like two hundred and fifty bucks a year. They're part-timers with real lives as regular citizens.

They take that lawmaking stuff seriously. If they leave it and don't go back to it at all, that would probably mean someone in the Democratic majority (or several someones) has (have) been irrevocably flipped.

[konnichi wa]

17. It's just so damn frustrating to actually experience defeat snatched, you know...

I thought it was a cinch especially after the other NE states.
crap

[MADem]

18. I think it had to do with the religious objections of lay people, not church people. See link.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=221&topic_id=132253&mesg_id=132270

[konnichi wa]

11. It is a little confusing, I'm not sure if this essentially kills it or just postpones for a long tim

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30851193

[Hippo_Tron]

3. That's a pretty close vote, only a matter of time

[cali]

5. the house passed it over a month ago

not saying you're not right, because the gov said he'd only sign the legislation if they made changes strengthening language about the rights of religious institutions to not sanction it (rights they already had), but I'm dubious about this story.

[konnichi wa]

8. Check the link in post #6 it is from a live blog I believe

...

[SoxFan]

6. Not exactly

The legislature passed a gay marriage bill earlier tis session. the problem is that Gov. John Lynch, who had previously voiced his opposition to marriage equality, was looking for a way to save face.

Lynch said that he would sign the bill only if the House and Senate passed a follow-up bill that provided greater protection for institutions and individuals who refused to perform or assist in gay marriage (the Straight Florist Protection Act, I suppose).

The bill that was voted on today was Lynch's follow-up legislation. The measure passed the senate, but the house non-concurred, so it heads to a committee of conference.

The best coverage of the situation os over at Blue Hampshire:

http://www.bluehampshire.com/

[konnichi wa]

7. Your link was updated a few minutes ago and basically says the same thing as MSNBC

I sure as hell take no pleasure in reporting this please believe.

[cecilfirefox]

10. Wait, so it isn't killed then? It just goes to be accepted elsewhere? nt

[MADem]

13. It's in committee---shoved in a cabinet while everyone takes a deep breath.

Then the committee meets, if they're motivated, and picks it over. If they're not motivated, they leave it in the drawer, gathering dust.

[cecilfirefox]

9. Link is in my post. How did this happen? Why did people flip votes, or were actual reps not there??

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30851193/

[KamaAina]

19. From LBN the count was 188 for bigotry and 186 for justice

and I believe they have 400 in the lower house, so 26 either weren't there or wussed out and voted "Present". :grr:

edit: spelling

[SoxFan]

20. More info

You can't vote "present" in the New Hampshire House. It's not permitted under the rules. If someone didn't vote on this, it's because they weren't at the State House.

The trouble arose when a few gay marriage supporters blew a gasket over Gov. Lynch's insistence on the religious exemptions. Rep. Steve Vaillancourt, a Democrat turned Republican turned Libertarian turned Republican, who is gay, was furious at the governor's seeming attempt yo straddle the issue. Unfortunately, by throwing a tantrum, he has put final passage at risk.

[Mojo_electro]

16. re: gay marriage...

There may be some setbacks along the way, and this may be one. But (and maybe I'm being optimistic here) I still think the net progress on this issue will continue to go forward, slowly but surely.