Vermont House Committee
Approves Same-Sex Marriage

Despite a veto threat looming from Vermont governor Jim Douglas, the house judiciary committee approved a bill that would bring marriage equality to the state.

The bill passed. Seven Democrats and one Republican approved the bill against two Republicans on Tuesday morning, according to the Rutland Herald . The full house is expected to debate the measure on Thursday and Friday.

Judiciary committee chair William Lippert said he voted yes on the bill because it was the right time and the right thing to do. "It's no secret where I stand on this issue," he said before casting his vote.

The state senate approved the same measure last week with a 26-4 vote. Some senators wanted to hold off on the law in order to hold a nonbinding referendum vote in the future for Vermont residents to voice their opinion on instating marriage equality. That proposition failed 19-11.

Douglas, a Republican, said the legislature should focus on mending the state's economic problems rather than marriage equality.