Vermont politicians pass gay marriage bill, foiling governor's veto
Last Updated: Tuesday, April 7, 2009 | 12:32 PM ET
The Associated Press
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Vermont has become the fourth U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage, after a dramatic vote in its legislature Tuesday.
The House voted 100-49 — barely beating the two-thirds level needed — to override Gov. Jim Douglas's veto of a bill allowing gays and lesbians to tie the knot.
The vote followed a much easier override vote in the state Senate, which early voted 23-5 to rebuff the Republican governor's attempt to kill the bill.
Vermont was the first state to legalize civil unions for same-sex couples; it now joins Connecticut, Massachusetts and Iowa in giving gays the right to marry outright. In those three states, the courts were responsible for instituting the change by ruling on legal challenges.
Tuesday morning's legislative action in Vermont came less than a day after Douglas issued a veto message saying the bill would not improve the lot of gay and lesbian couples because it still would not provide them rights under federal and other states' laws.
House Speaker Shap Smith's announcement of the vote brought an outburst of jubilation from some of the hundreds packed into the gallery and the lobby outside the House chamber, despite the speaker's admonishment against such displays.
'It's been a very long battle'
Among the celebrants in the lobby were former Representative Robert Dostis, the Democrat who represents Waterbury, and his longtime partner, Chuck Kletecka.
Dostis recalled efforts to expand gay rights dating to an anti-discrimination law passed in 1992.
"It's been a very long battle. It's been almost 20 years to get to this point," Dostis said.
"I think finally, most people in Vermont understand that we're a couple like any other couple. We're as good and as bad as any other group of people. And now I think we have a chance to prove ourselves here on foreward that we're good members of our community."
Dostis said he and Kletecka will celebrate their 25th year together in September.
"Is that a proposal?" Kletecka asked.
"Yeah," Dostis replied. "Twenty-five years together? I think it's time we finally got married."
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