The New Hampshire House of Representatives voted to legalize same-sex marriage on Thursday, one day after voting to repeal the death penalty in the state. Both pieces of legislation will now be sent to the state Senate for consideration.
The same-sex marriage bill "eliminates the exclusion of same gender couples from marriage" and allows homosexuals currently in a civil union to "obtain the legal status of marriage." The legislation exempts clergy members from performing same-sex marriages if their religion forbids them from doing so.
The bill, which initially failed by one vote, passed 186 to 179 after the House voted for reconsideration.
Gov. John Lynch, D-N.H., has said that he opposes same-sex marriage, but has not gone so far as to say that he would veto legislation legalizing gay marriage in New Hampshire.
In Vermont, where the state Senate recently passed a similar same-sex marriage bill, Gov. James Douglas, R-Vt., said Wednesday that he will veto the bill if it reaches his desk, according to a press release. The bill is now before the Vermont House and is scheduled to come up for a vote tomorrow.
Currently, Massachusetts and Connecticut are the only states that allow same-sex marriage. New Hampshire, Vermont and New Jersey permit same-sex civil unions.
The New Hampshire bill to repeal capital punishment passed Wednesday by a 193 to 174 vote, according to a House press release.
Lynch has said he will veto the bill, according to the Associated Press.
If implemented, the repeal would not affect the case of Michael Addison, a New Hampshire man sentenced to death in December for killing Manchester police officer Michael Briggs, according to the press release. Addison is the first person to be sentenced to death in the state since 1959. He has since filed an appeal in the state Supreme Court.
The state of New Hampshire has not used the death penalty since 1939.
