Vermont Legislature Approves Gay Marriage

Speaker of the House Shap Smith signs the gay marriage bill as Sen. John Campbell, D-Windsor, looks on in Montpelier, Vt., Monday, April 6, 2009. Douglas vetoed the gay marriage bill, which would send it back to the Legislature for override votes in the House and Senate on whether to override. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)

No thanks to Governor Jim Douglas, who vetoed the bill, gay marriage is legal in Vermont because the legislature overrode his veto.

The Legislature voted Tuesday to override Gov. Jim Douglas’ veto of a bill allowing gays and lesbians to marry. The vote was 23-5 to override in the state Senate and 100-49 to override in the House. Under Vermont law, two-thirds of each chamber had to vote for override.

The vote came nine years after Vermont adopted its first-in-the-nation civil unions law.

It’s now the fourth state to permit same-sex marriage. Massachusetts, Connecticut and Iowa are the others. Their approval of gay marriage came from the courts.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.