"Vermont legalizes gay marriage -- chicagotribune.com chicagotribune.com Vermont legalizes gay marriage The Associated Press 6:57 PM CDT , April 7 , 2009 MONTPELIER , Vt. -- The marriage proposal came not over a candlelit dinner or on a scenic mountaintop ; instead the couple were surrounded by a throng of gay rights supporters outside the Vermont House chamber . '' We have n't decided who 's going to propose to who yet , `` former lawmaker Robert Dostis said as he stood next to his longtime partner , Chuck Kletecka . '' But we 've been together 25 years in September , and I think September 14th would be a nice wedding day. `` '' Sounds good to me , `` Kletecka replied . '' I accept. `` The exchange came just after the Vermont House narrowly achieved the two-thirds majority necessary to overcome Republican Gov . Jim Douglas ' veto of a gay marriage bill . Vermont was the first state to give gay and lesbian couples legal recognition with its civil unions law in 2000 . It jumped to the lead again Tuesday : After courts in three other states had legalized gay marriage , Vermont became the first to have its Legislature do so on its own . Bills to allow same-sex marriage are currently before lawmakers in New Hampshire , Maine , New York and New Jersey . The three other states that allow same-sex marriage -- Connecticut , Massachusetts and Iowa -- moved to do so first through the courts , not their legislatures . '' For a popularly elected legislature to make this decision is a much more democratic process `` because lawmakers have to answer to the voters every other November , said Eric Davis , a retired Middlebury College political science professor . Courts typically deal with arcane points of constitutional law . While legislatures debate some of the same principles , the process may become much more personal . In Vermont , some of the most gripping debate came when gay lawmakers took to the House floor last Thursday and told their own love stories . Getting gay marriage approved in a political , rather than purely legal , forum is a big step , said Boston University law professor Linda McLain , an expert on family law and policy . '' What may give courage to other legislatures is that this legislature managed to do it , `` she said . She added that using the civil rights language of equality -- the measure in Vermont was dubbed the marriage equality bill -- could help make gay marriage more acceptable elsewhere . Opponents said they , too , believe activists will be emboldened in other states and could attack the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act , which defines marriage as a legal union between a man and a woman and provides that states need not recognize the marriage of a same-sex couple from another state . The Vermont action comes just days after the Iowa Supreme court ruled that not permitting gay marriage there was unconstitutional . '' To the millions of Americans who care about marriage , we say , 'Get ready . President Obama and Democrats will use Vermont as an excuse to overturn the bipartisan federal Defense of Marriage Act , ' `` said Brian Brown , executive director of the National Organization for Marriage , which waged a radio campaign against the measure . '' The next step is to ask the Supreme Court to impose gay marriage on all 50 states. `` To date , the same-sex marriage movement 's main gains have been in New England , which some attribute to Yankee liberalism and the gradual acceptance of gay relationships after Vermont 's groundbreaking civil unions law took effect in 2000 . Douglas had announced his intent to veto the gay marriage bill two weeks ago , saying he believed marriage should be limited to a man and a woman and calling the issue a distraction from more important economic and budgetary issues . In Tuesday 's vote , a yes was needed from two-thirds of those present to override the governor 's veto . The goal was easily achieved in the Senate , which voted 23-5 , but in the House the vote was much closer , 100-49 . The speaker 's announcement of the results to a packed Statehouse chamber set off whistles and cheers among supporters whose hopes had been temporarily dashed when the governor announced he would veto the measure if it passed the Legislature . Among the celebrants were Kletecka and Dostis , who recalled efforts to expand gay rights dating to an anti-discrimination law passed in 1992 . '' It 's been almost 20 years to get to this point , `` Dostis said . '' I think finally , most people in Vermont understand that we 're a couple like any other couple . We 're as good and as bad as any other group of people. `` Craig Bensen , a gay marriage opponent who had lobbied unsuccessfully for a nonbinding referendum on the question , said his side was outspent by supporters by 20-1 . '' The other side had a highly funded , extremely well-oiled machine with all the political leadership except the governor pushing to make this happen , `` he said . '' The fact that it came down to this tight a vote is really astounding. `` The measure had only 95 yes votes when it passed the House on Friday . But some changed their votes Tuesday . Rep. Jeff Young , D- St. Albans , who voted no twice because he 's philosophically opposed to gay marriage , joined most other Democrats in voting to override Douglas ' veto . '' I think if I wanted to continue my career here and have any chance of being effective , I had to vote with my caucus , `` he said . '' You have some pet projects , you think you can help your district back home with things that need to happen . I want to get a railroading bill through . I would n't even have had a chance to testify , let alone get it through . Now , people will listen to me . It 's the way the political game is played. `` Copyright 2009 Associated Press . All rights reserved . This material may not be published , broadcast , rewritten , or redistributed ."
"Great news !"
"Vermont legalizes gay marriage ''"
"Great news !"