New Hampshire House Panel to Vote on Gay Marriage Repeal | New Hampshire | The Advocate

As we reported earlier, the Republican controlled New Hampshire House is attempting to repeal the laws that made NH the 5th state to allow same-sex marriage in 2010. On Cotober 25th the New Hampshire House Judiciary Committee voted 11-6 along party lines today to send a bill restoring the definition of “marriage” as the union of one man and one woman to the full House after Christmas.

The bill — HB 437, sponsored by Rep. David Bates — would also expand the state’s civil-union law to any two unmarried adults, even if they’re related.

“If we’re going to create a legal status for individuals with rights and responsibilities for the special relationship they have, there’s no good reason to make that exclusive to homosexuals,” Bates countered. “We’ve heard for years how it’s none of the state’s business what people do in their own homes and how we have to get the government out of people’s bedrooms. That’s exactly what this legislation does. We created a civil- union status where there does not need to be any expectation of a sexual relationship. It’s more similar to a limited-liability corporation, where people enter into partnerships for a variety of relationships all the time. This bill doesn’t encourage incest any more than an LLC law.”

Hopefully the governor will remember his veto power when it comes across his desk for certain signature.

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