Gay couples in New Hampshire welcomed the new year with champagne toasts and wedding rings. (Photo By Associated Press: Olin Burkhart, center left, and Carl Burkhart, center right, both of Salem, N.H., wed on steps of New Hampshire's State Capitol Jan. 1, 2010 as the historic Marriage Equality law takes effect in Concord, N.H)A gay marriage law approved by lawmakers takes effect on January 1. Gay couples who want to be among the first to marry in the state will be making their wedding vows along with their new year resolutions.New Hampshire officials began issuing marriage licenses to gay couples on October 3. As of last Wednesday, 29 lesbian and 11 gay couples had secured marriage licenses, which expire after 90 days.ay advocates in the Granite State ushered in the new year with weddings at the state Capitol on Friday, when New Hampshire's same-sex marriage law took effect.The Freedom to Marry Coalition and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation led celebrations in Concord on New Year's Eve, counting down the minutes until the state performed its first gay marriages just after midnight.New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch signed a same-sex marriage bill into law early June despite his opposition to gay marriages and only after state lawmakers had complied with his requirement to include provisions in the legislation protecting religious institutions. The state Senate had voted 14-10 and the state House 198-176 to pass the measure.Lawmakers had negotiated to include an amendment exempting religious institutions from participating in marriage-related activities that are against their beliefs.Several times the bill was in danger of being completely rejected. Conservatives including the National Organization for Marriage had also pushed hard for the Legislature not to "deny New Hampshire voters the right to decide th[e] question themselves."Marriage between gay couples is legal in five states so far. Massachusetts and Connecticut were the first ones to pass legislation, while Iowa, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire all enacted similar measures this year. Maine, however, overturned its law in a November referendum.The District of Columbia earlier this month passed its own bill, which takes effect after a required 30-day review by Congress.National gay advocacy groups such as the Human Rights Campaign and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force have also suffered setbacks. Apart from the repeal in the Pine Tree State, proponents in the New Jersey Senate in December put off a final vote on a same-sex measure because of the lack of votes to pass it.Around the same time In New York, state senators voted to defeat a similar bill despite the full-throated support of Gov. David Paterson.
New Hampshire became the sixth state in the nation today to approve gay marriage, after legislation was enacted by both the state House and Senate and then signed by Governor John Lynch. “Today we’re standing up for the liberties of same-sex couples by making clear they will receive the same rights, responsibilities and respect under New Hampshire law,” Lynch said this afternoon before signing the bill at about 5:20 p.m. “It is my hope and my belief that New Hampshire will once again come together to embrace tolerance and respect and to stand against discrimination.” The new law makes New Hampshire the sixth state in the nation to allow gays to marry.Pictured above: The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the U.S. Episcopal Church's first openly gay bishop, right, shakes hands with Mo Baxley in the gallery of Representatives Hall in the State house after lawmakers voted in favor of gay marriage in Concord, N.H.
Gay couples in New Hampshire welcomed the new year with champagne toasts and wedding rings. (Photo By Associated Press: Olin Burkhart, center left, and Carl Burkhart, center right, both of Salem, N.H., wed on steps of New Hampshire's State Capitol Jan. 1, 2010 as the historic Marriage Equality law takes effect in Concord, N.H)
A gay marriage law approved by lawmakers takes effect on January 1. Gay couples who want to be among the first to marry in the state will be making their wedding vows along with their new year resolutions.
New Hampshire officials began issuing marriage licenses to gay couples on October 3. As of last Wednesday, 29 lesbian and 11 gay couples had secured marriage licenses, which expire after 90 days.
ay advocates in the Granite State ushered in the new year with weddings at the state Capitol on Friday, when New Hampshire's same-sex marriage law took effect.
The Freedom to Marry Coalition and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation led celebrations in Concord on New Year's Eve, counting down the minutes until the state performed its first gay marriages just after midnight.
New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch signed a same-sex marriage bill into law early June despite his opposition to gay marriages and only after state lawmakers had complied with his requirement to include provisions in the legislation protecting religious institutions. The state Senate had voted 14-10 and the state House 198-176 to pass the measure.
Lawmakers had negotiated to include an amendment exempting religious institutions from participating in marriage-related activities that are against their beliefs.
Several times the bill was in danger of being completely rejected. Conservatives including the National Organization for Marriage had also pushed hard for the Legislature not to "deny New Hampshire voters the right to decide th[e] question themselves."
Marriage between gay couples is legal in five states so far. Massachusetts and Connecticut were the first ones to pass legislation, while Iowa, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire all enacted similar measures this year. Maine, however, overturned its law in a November referendum.
The District of Columbia earlier this month passed its own bill, which takes effect after a required 30-day review by Congress.
National gay advocacy groups such as the Human Rights Campaign and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force have also suffered setbacks. Apart from the repeal in the Pine Tree State, proponents in the New Jersey Senate in December put off a final vote on a same-sex measure because of the lack of votes to pass it.
Around the same time In New York, state senators voted to defeat a similar bill despite the full-throated support of Gov. David Paterson.
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