N.H. Lawmakers Aim to Repeal Marriage

Despite polls showing the vast majority of New Hampshire residents supporting its marriage equality law, a group of Republican lawmakers is angling to repeal the two-year-old law.

Hearings are scheduled to begin this week concerning repealing marriage equality in the state, though house majority leader D.J. Bettencourt, also a Republican, has indicated that he would not want to revisit the law and instead wants to focus on fiscal measures. The house judiciary committee is scheduled to hear arguments for marriage equality repeal on Thursday.

Legislators David Bates and Leo Pepino, who are sponsoring the bill, told the Eagle-Tribunenewspaper they are confident they can drum up enough support to bring their measure to a vote. They said the measure will likely make its way to Gov. John Lynch, who would probably veto it.

Mo Baxley of New Hampshire Freedom to Marry, said the move would be detrimental to the state's married same-sex couples.

"They have decided that taking away the freedom to marry is more important right now than dealing with the state's budget crisis and economic situation, the worst since the Great Depression," he said in a statement, according to the Eagle Tribune. "Voters overwhelmingly say their number one concern is the economy. Yet lawmakers like Reps. Bates and Pepino would rather pursue a fringe agenda that hurts New Hampshire families."