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Prospects for the bill appear favorable, but the final decision may rest with a referendum vote.

By GLENN ADAMS, Associated Press Writer May 5, 2009

AUGUSTA — The Maine House will register its first votes today on a same-sex marriage bill, whose prospects appear good given heavy co-sponsorship by members and momentum from last week's Senate vote in favor of the measure.

The bill, which won a 21-14 vote of approval in the Senate on Thursday, has 64 co-sponsors, 55 of them representatives. Sponsorship is overwhelmingly Democratic, the majority party in both chambers. There are 95 Democrats in the 151-member House.

"With 50-plus co-sponsors, we feel cautiously optimistic it will be a very good vote," said Shenna Bellows of the Maine Civil Liberties Union, a leading supporter of the bill.

Opponents were making no such claims but did hold open the likelihood of a people's veto campaign to repeal the measure should the Legislature enact it and Gov. John Baldacci sign it into law.

Baldacci, a Democrat, remained undecided Monday on the proposal. He has opposed gay marriage in the past.

"Should it go to the governor, there's a possibility he would veto it, and we would ask him to veto it," said Marc Mutty of the Catholic Diocese of Maine.

As for the bill's prospects in the House, Mutty said, "We have not worked the House very aggressively, so it's more of a wild card for us."

Mutty said there has been some discussion of amendments, but as of Monday there was no concrete plan to introduce any during today's House debate.

Four states have approved same-sex marriages: Connecticut, Massachusetts and Iowa by court orders and Vermont through legislation. New Hampshire's Legislature is considering a gay marriage bill.

In Maine last week, the Senate turned down a proposal to amend the bill by sending the question to voters and approved the bill as it stands. It would give state recognition to any two people, rather than to just one man and one woman, as under present law. The bill faces another Senate vote in addition to House votes.

Even if the measure passes unchanged, opponents are widely expected to organize a campaign under Maine's people's veto law to force a repeal referendum. Polls have shown Mainers to be split on the question.