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.
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