By a vote of 243-129, the New Hampshire House voted to pass House Bill 437 which would give same-sex couples registed in a civil union the same rights as married couples.
According to the Associated Press, the House debated for two hours before voting. If the Senate passes the bill and Governor John Lynch signs it, it would take effect January 1, 2008. Lynch, who has not yet made public his feelings about the bill, said, “I will weigh in on it after I make up my mind on it.”
Meanwhile, elsewhere in New Hampshire, presidential hopeful Senator Chris Dodd told Concord High School students that folks should think about how they might react if their own child were gay.
Said Dodd: “We ought to be able to have these loving relationships. They may grow up as a different sexual orientation than their parents. How would I want my child to be treated if they were of a different sexual orientation?”
The AP adds: “Dodd, who opposed a constitutional amendment to limit marriage to man-woman unions, said he supports civil unions, but not gay marriage. Asked afterward how he distinguishes between the two, he said there really isn't a difference.”
