The New Hampshire
Senate approved a bill on Wednesday that would legalize
same-sex marriage. The 13-11 vote mirrors the
House's similarly close vote of 186-179 in March.
Because the senate
voted on a bill that has been amended since the house voted on
it, HB 436 will return back to the house for a third reading.
The senate version removed gender-specific language. Gov. John
Lynch has expressed his preference for the same-sex civil
unions already legal in New Hampshire.
A poll released earlier
this week shows that 55% of New Hampshire voters support
marriage for same-sex couples, while 39% are opposed.
Two New England states
-- Connecticut and Massachusetts -- and Iowa are the only
states that currently grant such rights to same-sex couples.
Vermont has passed marriage-equality legislation that will go
into effect September 1. And California's marriage
equality, granted by the state supreme court and later revoked
by Prop. 8, is once again under court scrutiny.
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