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Vermont State Senate Votes To Pass Marriage Equality 26-4

“Marriage is a commitment,” said one Vermont Senator.

Vermont, the Green Mountain State, home of Senator Stephen Douglas, maker and exporter of maple syrup, and now a state moving into all too familiar territory. At 3:00 pm, the Vermont State Senate’s thirty members met to vote on S.115, a bill which would grant marriage equality to all within the state. For many gays and lesbians, this bill would allow them to marry their same-sex partner. For many transpeople, this bill will end the legal nightmare which requires a definition on what makes someone a man or a woman. Was the vote ever in any doubt after a unanimous vote to pass this bill to the Senate was made by the Senate Judiciary Committee? In the end, the vote was 26-4. The bill goes to its final vote on Tuesday, but this number is not expected to change.

Marriage equality is something that we have had to struggle with in this state for ten years. The State Assembly in 2000 compromised with civil unions, but it was just that, a compromise. Governor Howard Dean signed that compromise, and has continued to defend his signing of that bill. It took great courage for that bill to go into law in 2000, and many paid for it with their careers in politics. Governor Dean, however, won reelection in 2000 despite facing opposition from Ruth Dwyer and Anthony Polina.

The response from many Vermonters has been, oddly, less than acrimonious when compared to the fight that occurred in 1999 and 2000. Many Vermonters support the move to full marriage equality at this time. While many in the opposition have attempted to use the same tactics as in 2000, they have been undermined by their own problems. The Catholic Church’s stance on same-sex marriage is undermined by the fact that many Church officials have had to go into court to defend their actions regarding child molesting priests.

The session that involved S.115 included a few negative voices about pushing the bill through as quickly as it has been. However, many State Senators have made it clear that they wanted to take this controversial matter through the process as quickly as possible to prevent a long, drawn out battle. Some Senators complained about the fact that this was rushed through. Senators from Washington and Rutland County attempted to delay passage of S.115; however, they were in the minority of the vote.

Senator Kevin Mullin went ahead in his attempt to push this back after a non-binding referendum. Senator Richard Sears got up, reminded his colleagues that this amendment was already voted down in committee, and reminded that the General Assembly must make hard decisions. Sears went on to make the point that, if we hold a vote on this issue, what will be next? Will Vermonters be voting against gun ownership? He stated, explicitly, that this is a Vermont issue, and that a delay will mean inviting in a battle from outside the state. It was also pointed out that any referendum would be costly in terms of the state budget. The amendment went down nineteen to eleven. At one point, the webcam showing the proceeding was turned upside down, which made for interesting viewing.

Despite sponsoring to have a referendum, Senator Mullin stood before his colleagues to urge them to vote ‘yes’.

This vote came on a day when Speaker of the Vermont House, Shap Smith, stated that the House would, indeed, be passing their version of the bill in a week; however, Speaker Smith was unsure what would happen if Governor Douglas vetoed the bill. Douglas has stated repeatedly that he wants this over quickly, and has come out against a proposed state wide referendum.

Governor Douglas is already facing potential difficulty in his bit for reelection in 2010. Several Vermont politicians are already lining up to take him on in a manner that he did not face in 2008. Douglas’ decision on this bill may influence how some people vote in 2010. Already, one State Senator from Rutland is facing some heat; however, many voters from Rutland County have already begun to gather around Senator Kevin Mullin. Many of these voters are crossing their normal party lines to support him. It is possible that, if Senator Mullin faces a primary race where this is a major issue, many liberals will cross ballots to vote for him.

Bridget “Sei” McBride is a trans-lesbian who lives in Vermont and has a strong passion for LGBTI rights. She has a BA in History and her hobbies include sci-fi, anime, fantasy, action movies, video games, and more. Currently, she is working on her MA in Individualized Studies at Goddard College. Her specialization is in cultural history and cultural comparison.