|
365Gay.com
Majority In Vermont
Support Changing
Civil Unions To
Marriage
From the Web, March
26, 2008
Montpelier, Vermont -- As a
state commission prepares its report on whether to amend Vermont's civil union
law to allow for same-sex marriage a new poll finds that the majority of people
in the state believe gay and lesbian couples should have the right to marry.
The survey was taken of people attending town meetings across the state.
It found that 54-percent said they support allowing gay couples to marry while
37-percent were opposed.
Vermont holds town hall meetings annually to conduct local business. Each
March people going into the meetings are polled by state Sen. William Doyle, a
Johnson State College political science professor, on issues affecting
Vermonters.
Support this year for same-sex marriage showed an increase of eight-percent over
2007.
The commission studying same-sex marriage will present its report to the
legislature next month. Members have been close-lipped on what they will
recommend.
The commission was set up last year to look into Vermont's civil unions law to
see if it is providing equality for gay and lesbian couples and to determine if
the law should be amended to provide for same-sex marriage.
It is chaired by former state Rep. Tom Little (D). When he was a member of
the legislature Little was chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, when it
passed the law legalizing civil unions in 2000.
At hearings throughout the state commissioners were told that while the state's
civil union law -- the first of its kind in the nation -- was a step forward
same-sex couples still are not equal.
Although the committee will present its report to the legislature in April
nothing is expected to be done about it until after the election. That
would mean that if the committee recommends gay marriage legislation there is no
likelihood of a bill before 2009.
|
