Vermont Moves Closer to Gay Rights Law

Vermont moved closer Thursday to becoming the first state in the U.S. to grant same-sex partners virtually the same rights enjoyed by married couples.

The Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee voted, 4-2, in support of landmark legislation that would recognize “civil unions” between lesbians or gay men.

The full Senate is scheduled to debate the measure Monday, along with a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the small New England state that would have the effect of prohibiting recognition of such partnerships.

Supporters of the civil unions bill believe the Democrat-controlled Senate will vote to approve it and to reject the constitutional amendment.

The Vermont House of Representatives passed a version of the bill similar to the Senate’s by a 76-69 margin last month. Democratic Gov. Howard Dean has said he will sign the civil union legislation into law.

“I’m sorry we didn’t get a unanimous 6-0 vote in the committee on the bill,” said Judiciary Chairman Sen. Richard Sears. “But I understand why both Republican senators on the committee voted against it for personal reasons as well as because of constituency issues.”

All four Democrats on the panel, including Sears, supported the measure.

Sears called the bill “groundbreaking but not radical.” Should it become law, “most Vermonters will find that not much has changed,” he said.

Sears noted that many states provide legal protections to “domestic partnerships,” regardless of their gender makeup. But the Vermont legislation goes further by permitting same-sex couples to have their unions certified in a civil ceremony similar to marriage.

One of the few differences between the Vermont House and Senate versions of the bill concerns the date most of its provisions would take effect. The House measure sets September as the starting date, while the Senate bill moves it forward to July 1.