Governor John Baldacci has signed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the state:
"Baldacci made his announcement within an hour of the Maine Senate
giving its final approval to LD 1020. The Senate voted 21-13 in favor
of the measure after a short debate. The House of Representatives gave its approval on a 89-57 vote Tuesday. The proposal would make Maine the fifth state to allow gay marriage. Four states now allow same-sex marriages. Connecticut, Massachusetts
and Iowa have been ordered by the courts to do so, and Connecticut
later enacted a law codifying the court ruling. Vermont in April passed
a gay marriage law over the governor's objection."
Baldacci, who has opposed same-sex marriage in the past, said in a statement:
"I have followed closely the debate on this issue. I have listened to
both sides, as they have presented their arguments during the public
hearing and on the floor of the Maine Senate and the House of
Representatives. I have read many of the notes and letters sent to my
office, and I have weighed my decision carefully. I did not come to this decision lightly or in haste. I appreciate the tone brought to this debate by both sides of the
issue. This is an emotional issue that
touches deeply many of our most important ideals and traditions. There
are good, earnest and honest people on both sides of the question.
"In the past, I opposed gay marriage while supporting the idea of
civil unions. I have come to believe that
this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law,
and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage. Article I in the Maine Constitution states that ‘no person shall be
deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law, nor
be denied the equal protection of the laws, nor be denied the enjoyment
of that person's civil rights or be discriminated against.' This new law does not force any religion to recognize a marriage
that falls outside of its beliefs. It does not require the church to
perform any ceremony with which it disagrees. Instead, it reaffirms the
separation of Church and State. It guarantees that Maine citizens will be treated equally under
Maine's civil marriage laws, and that is the responsibility of
government. Even as I sign this important legislation into law, I recognize
that this may not be the final word. Just as
the Maine Constitution demands that all people are treated equally
under the law, it also guarantees that the ultimate political power in
the State belongs to the people. While the good and just people of Maine may determine this issue,
my responsibility is to uphold the Constitution and do, as best as
possible, what is right. I believe that signing this legislation is the
right thing to do."
