Iowa`s ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, a unanimous Iowa Supreme Court ruled Friday. The court ordered that same-sex marriages be granted starting April 24, making Iowa the third state to legalize gay marriage.
The decision came in response to a 2006 lawsuit brought by six gay and lesbian Iowa couples who were denied marriage licenses.
A lower state court had ruled in their favor, and Friday the state`s Supreme Court affirmed it.
The court`s decision left no room for the granting of marriage benefits through a parallel institution such as civil unions or domestic partnerships.
At the same time the Iowa court was handing down its ruling, the Vermont House was giving final approval to S. 115, the same-sex marriage bill passed earlier by the state Senate. The House gave initial approval to S. 113 on ohursday on a 95-52 vote.
The vote margin -- although wide -- is not sufficient to sustain the veto promised by Gov. James Douglas. It’s unclear at this time whether enough votes (two-thirds of members present are needed) can be mustered for an override.
Speculation continues that some representatives voting against the bill might change their vote and vote “yes” on an override out of respect for legislative process.
The House started debate on S. 115 in the late afternoon Thursday and continued on into the night.
Friday’s debate is likely to be shorter than Thursday’s, although two amendments have been offered for consideration.
Those who voted Thursday to pass S. 115 were:
Ancel of Calais
Andrews of Rutland City
Aswad of Burlington
Bohi of Hartford
Botzow of Pownal
Bray of New Haven
Burke of Brattleboro
Cheney of Norwich
Clarkson of Woodstock *
Condon of Colchester
Conquest of Newbury
Copeland-Hanzas of
Bradford
Courcelle of Rutland City
Davis of Washington
Deen of Westminster
Donahue of Northfield
Donovan of Burlington
Edwards of Brattleboro
Emmons of Springfield
Fisher of Lincoln
Frank of Underhill
French of Shrewsbury
French of Randolph
Geier of South Burlington
Gilbert of Fairfax *
Grad of Moretown *
Greshin of Warren
Haas of Rochester
Head of South Burlington
Heath of Westford
Hooper of Montpelier
Howard of Rutland City
Hube of Londonderry
Jerman of Essex
Jewett of Ripton
Johnson of South Hero
Keenan of St. Albans City
Kitzmiller of Montpelier
Klein of East Montpelier
Komline of Dorset
Lanpher of Vergennes
Larson of Burlington
Lenes of Shelburne
Leriche of Hardwick
Lippert of Hinesburg
Lorber of Burlington
Macaig of Williston
Maier of Middlebury
Malcolm of Pawlet
Manwaring of Wilmington
Marek of Newfane
Martin of Springfield
Martin of Wolcott
Masland of Thetford
McCullough of Williston
Milkey of Brattleboro
Miller of Shaftsbury
Minter of Waterbury
Mitchell of Barnard
Mook of Bennington
Moran of Wardsboro
Mrowicki of Putney
Nease of Johnson
Nuovo of Middlebury
O`Brien of Richmond
Obuchowski of Rockingham
Orr of Charlotte
Partridge of Windham
Pellett of Chester
Peltz of Woodbury
Poirier of Barre City
Pugh of South Burlington
Ram of Burlington *
Rodgers of Glover
Scheuermann of Stowe
Shand of Weathersfield
Sharpe of Bristol
Smith of Mendon
Spengler of Colchester
Stevens of Waterbury
Stevens of Shoreham
Sweaney of Windsor
Taylor of Barre City
Till of Jericho
Toll of Danville
Townsend of Randolph
Trombley of Grand Isle
Waite-Simpson of Essex
Webb of Shelburne
Weston of Burlington
Wilson of Manchester
Wizowaty of Burlington
Wright of Burlington
Zenie of Colchester
Zuckerman of Burlington *
Those who voted in the negative were:
Acinapura of Brandon
Adams of Hartland
Ainsworth of Royalton
Atkins of Winooski
Audette of So. Burlington *
Baker of West Rutland
Bissonnette of Winooski
Branagan of Georgia
Brennan of Colchester
Browning of Arlington
Canfield of Fair Haven
Clark of Vergennes
Clerkin of Hartford
Consejo of Sheldon
Corcoran of Bennington
Crawford of Burke
Devereux of Mount Holly
Dickinson of St. Albans Town
Donaghy of Poultney
Evans of Essex
Fagan of Rutland City
Flory of Pittsford
Helm of Castleton
Higley of Lowell
Howrigan of Fairfield
Hubert of Milton
Johnson of Canaan
Kilmartin of Newport City *
Koch of Barre Town *
Krawczyk of Bennington
Larocque of Barnet
Lawrence of Lyndon
Lewis of Derby
Marcotte of Coventry
McAllister of Highgate
McDonald of Berlin
McFaun of Barre Town
McNeil of Rutland Town
Morley of Barton
Morrissey of Bennington
Myers of Essex
Pearce of Richford
Peaslee of Guildhall
Perley of Enosburg
Potter of Clarendon
Reis of St. Johnsbury
Savage of Swanton
South of St. Johnsbury
Turner of Milton *
Wheeler of Derby *
Winters of Williamstown
Young of St. Albans City
Those members absent with leave of the House and not voting were:
O`Donnell of Vernon
Westman of Cambridge
*Explanations by these representatives of their vote can be found in the House calendar for April 3, beginning at Page 556.
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