Same-sex marriage will be legal in Vermont

Earlier today (April 7, 2007), the Vermont Legislature overrode the veto of a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry.  Governor Jim Douglas had vetoed the bill yesterday but today the Legislature was able to obtain exactly the minimum number of votes need to override his veto.

It is interesting to note that Vermont is the first state to authorize same-sex marriage via legislative action.  The other three states allowing same-sex marriage (Connecticut, Iowa, and Massachusetts) have done so via court order.

This legislation is not effective until September 1, 2009.

The full text of the bill is available here.

See Abby Goodnough & Anahad O’Connor, Vermont Legalizes Gay Marriage, NY Times, April 8, 2009.