Vermont legislature overrides governor’s veto, becomes fourth state in U.S. where gay marriage is legal

Terrific news boys and boys and girls and girls!

A day after Gov. Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas vetoed a bill to allow same-sex marriage in the state, the House and Senate mustered enough votes to override his veto. The legislation goes into effect Sept. 1.

This is great news and makes Vermont the fourth state in the U.S. to legalize gay marriage. The others are Iowa – just last week – Massachusetts and Connecticut are the other two. California voters banned the marriages through Proposition 8 after they were legalized last spring.

And what a beautiful place to get married – just in time for fall colors.

The Vermont Senate vote was 23-5 to override the governor. As expected, the House vote was much closer: 100-49. Vermont is the first to achieve this through a vote of the legislature. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger twice vetoed similar bills in California passed by the state legislature.

The Human Rights Campaign applauded the vote: “This historic vote in the Vermont legislature reminds us of the incredible progress being made toward equality.  Less than five years ago, lesbian and gay couples began marrying in Massachusetts.  Now, with the Iowa court decision last Friday and today’s vote in Vermont, there will be four states recognizing the right to marry for loving, committed lesbian and gay couples,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.  “We congratulate Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin, Speaker of the House Shap Smith, the other legislators who voted for marriage, the Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force, and MassEquality for ensuring that all couples will now enjoy the freedom to marry in Vermont.  This is a law that will strengthen families and give meaning to the promise of equal rights for all.”

Said Shumlin: “The struggle for equal rights is never easy. I was proud to be President of the Senate nine years ago when Vermont created civil unions. Today we have overridden the Governor’s veto. I have never felt more proud of Vermont as  we become the first state in the country to enact marriage equality  not as the result of a court order, but  because it is the right thing to do.”