By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer

Vermont became the fourth state in the U.S. to recognize same-sex marriage yesterday when both houses of the state legislature garnered enough votes to overcome Republican Gov. Jim Douglas’ threatened veto.

A vote taken last week fell four votes short of a veto-overriding majority, but several house members changed their minds and decided to vote the bill into law. Vermont has no mechanism for a citizen referendum to override the law.

This victory has buoyed the hopes of same-sex marriage proponents who are becoming increasingly vocal about their intentions of capturing all six New England states by the year 2012.

Currently, 43 U.S. states have laws prohibiting same-sex marriage with 29 of those states having constitutional amendments specifically defining marriage as between a man and a woman.

However, court challenges are threatening in those states and gay activists are already hoping to challenge the 1996 federal “Defense of Marriage Act” that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.

“This is a sad day in Vermont’s history,” said Steve Cable of Vermont Renewal, an organization opposing same-sex marriage. “The Democratic leadership in both the House and the Senate turned a deaf ear to concerns of the people on this issue and instead fast-tracked it through the legislature in just over two short weeks.”

The law takes effect on September 1.

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