Since September 1, 2009, same-sex marriage has been allowed in the U.S. state of Vermont. Vermont was the first state to legalize civil unions in July 2000, and the first to legalize same-sex marriage by adopting a legislation rather than being ordered to do so by a court. The law took effect on September 1, 2009, after it was passed by both houses of the Vermont Legislature and signed into law by Governor Jim Douglas. In 2007, there were reports that the Vermont Senate might pass a bill legalizing gay marriage. However, this did not happen. In May 2008, the House voted down an effort to allow gay marriage. In June 2008, the House again rejected a measure seeking to give gay couples the right to marry. In October 2008, the Senate approved a bill to extend many of the same rights and benefits granted to married couples through their employers to unmarried partners. However, the House still refused to consider the bill, leaving same-sex marriages illegal in Vermont. In early January 2009, it was reported that Senator John Campbell (D-Bennington) was working on a compromise bill that would have given gay couples the right to marry or enter into civil unions. However, no vote was taken on the bill and it died when Congress ended its session on February 13th.