A legislative
committee has voted by a two-to-one ratio to recommend that
a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage
in New Hampshire be dropped. The vote Wednesday in the
house judiciary committee in Concord was
14-7 against the amendment. The full house could vote
on the measure as early as next week.
State law already bans same-sex marriage, but
opponents of marriage equality want to have the state
constitution declare that "a marriage between one man
and one woman shall be the only legal union that shall be
valid or recognized in the state." They say that would keep
the issue out of the courts, avoiding situations like
those in Vermont and Massachusetts where the courts
ruled marriage can't be limited to heterosexuals.
Gay rights activists say no such lawsuits are
planned. During a recent hearing most people present
opposed a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex
marriage. (AP)
