Maine Becomes 5th State
to Allow Same-Sex Marriage
By GLENN ADAMS
The Associated Press
Wednesday, May 6,
2009 1:04 PM
AUGUSTA, Maine -- Maine's governor signed a freshly passed bill Wednesday
approving gay marriage, making it the fifth state to approve the practice and
moving New England closer to allowing it throughout the region.
New Hampshire legislators were also poised to send a gay marriage bill to
their governor, who hasn't indicated whether he'll sign it. If he does, Rhode
Island would be the region's sole holdout.
The Maine Senate voted 21-13, with one absent, for a bill that authorizes
marriage between any two people rather than between one man and one woman, as
state law currently allows. The House had passed the bill Tuesday.
Democratic Gov. John Baldacci, who hadn't previously indicated how he would
handle the bill, signed it shortly afterward. In the past, he said he opposed
gay marriage but supported civil unions, which provide many benefits of
marriage.
Debate was brief. Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell, D-Vassalboro, turned
the gavel over to an openly gay member, Sen. Lawrence Bliss, D-South Portland,
to preside over the final vote.
Republican Sen. Debra Plowman of Hampden argued that the bill was being
passed "at the expense of the people of faith."
"You are making a decision that is not well-founded," warned Plowman.
But Senate Majority Leader Philip Bartlett II said the bill does not compel
religious institutions to recognize gay marriage.
"We respect religious liberties. ... This is long overdue," said Bartlett,
D-Gorham.
Maine is now the fourth state in New England, to allow same-sex marriages.
Connecticut enacted a bill after being ordered to allow gay marriages by the
courts, and Vermont passed a bill over the governor's veto.
New Hampshire's House was also expected to vote on a bill Wednesday and send
it to Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat.
Massachusetts' high court has ordered the state to recognize gay marriages.
In Rhode Island, a bill to legalize same-sex marriage has been introduced but is
not expected to pass this year.
Outside New England, Iowa is recognizing gay marriages on court orders. The
practice was briefly legal in California before voters banned it.
© 2009 The
Associated Press