Printer-friendly version Reader Comments

State House: An overflow crowd watches as state legislators send the bill to the Senate for debate.

By SUSAN M. COVER, Kennebec Journal April 29, 2009

AUGUSTA — The Legislature's Judiciary Committee voted overwhelmingly Tuesday in support of a bill to allow same-sex marriage in Maine, setting the stage for full legislative debate.

The bill now goes to the Senate, with 11 committee members in support, two opposed and one who wants to send the issue to Maine's voters.

People on both sides of the debate packed the committee room and spilled into two overflow rooms as legislators deliberated the bill.

Sen. Lawrence Bliss, D-South Portland, the committee's Senate chair, said the issue has been especially difficult for him.

"It comes as no surprise to any of you that I'm a gay man and this is extremely personal to me," he said. "I've worked hard to set that personal piece aside because it is about fairness."

The two legislators who voted in opposition said their constituents and their own hearts led to "no" votes.

Rep. Jarrod Crockett, R-Bethel, said he doesn't believe the state should sanction gay marriage. "I may be in the minority, but that's where my conscience leads me," he said.

And Rep. Joan Nass, R-Acton, said 90 percent of the mail she received urged her to vote against the bill.

After the committee vote, supporters and opponents said the time for real action has just begun.

Bob Talbot of the NAACP of Bangor said the show of support brought a tear to his eye.

"Never have I been prouder of my legislators," he said. "They stood up for civil rights."

Marc Mutty of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland said he had anticipated four votes in opposition. He said history shows that committee votes don't always hold up when a bill goes to the House and Senate.

"It may not have much bearing on what happens ultimately," he said.

Last week, more than 3,000 people went to the Augusta Civic Center for a 10-hour public hearing on the bill. The crowd on Tuesday was much smaller, but those at the work session made it clear where they stood on the issue, with supporters wearing red and opponents wearing "one man, one woman" buttons.

The work session was interrupted briefly when Elaine Graham of Farmington began yelling at legislators when it became apparent that a majority would support the bill.

"This is a hugely moral issue and you people are not moral leaders," she shouted.

Security escorted her from the State House, but she will not face charges, according to the Capitol officers.

Committee member Sen. David Hastings, R-Fryeburg, is putting forward an amendment that would send the question to voters in November.

"My district is divided," he said. "The state is divided. I see it as a sincere disagreement."

Hastings said that if the Legislature passes the bill, opponents will gather the 55,087 signatures necessary for a people's veto referendum, so it will end up before voters anyway. He said the wording of people's vetoes can be confusing, because they ask the public to overturn legislative action.

"Why not just put it out as a straightforward, simple statement?" he said.

Supporters of the bill want legislators to take an up-or-down vote.

Betsy Smith of EqualityMaine said that, overall, she was happy with the committee's action.

"All along, we were hoping the Judiciary Committee members would study this issue in depth, read the testimony and hear the discrimination that gay and lesbian families experience every day," she said. "The vote today confirmed to us they did exactly that."