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Volume XV, Number 4

  
 
 

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MOUNTAINS

www.mountoinpridemedio.org

May 2000

Civil Unions Bill Passes

 

BY BARBARA DOZETOS

Vermont has become the
first state to give gay and les-
bian couples virtually all ofthe
rights and benefits of marriage.
A 79-68 vote in the House of
Representatives on April 25
concurred with the changes
made to it by the Senate and
sent it to the governor’s desk to
become law.

Opponents of the legislation
made one final attempt to
derail it by proposing a delay
in the vote. The motion made
by Rep. George Schiavone, R-
Shelburne, would have stalled
the final vote until November
30, 2000. He said it would give
Vermonters a chance to speak
through their votes in the elec-
tions this fall. Others said it
was merely an attempt to kill
the bill.

Nancy Sheltra, R—Derby,
another vocal opponent of civil
unions, asked fellow lawmak-
ers, “Why would you encour-
age anal sex, sexually transmit-

ted diseases and AIDS among a
part of our society?” as more
than a dozen legislators
showed their disapproval of
her remarks by leaving the
chamber. “Have you done the
research?” she said looking
directly across the chamber at
Rep. Bill Lippert.

Lippert, D-Hinesburg, stood
a few minutes later to respond.
“I most certainly have done the
research,” he said, pointing out
his position as the only openly
gay member of the state’s leg-
islature. “We are not a burden,
or sinful, or unnatural,” he told
his colleagues. “We are not
even the ‘small number’ we
keep hearing about.” He said
the bill was important not only
to gay and lesbian couples, but
their families, friends, and
coworkers who care about
them. “We are passing a bill
that is about rights, love, com-
mitment, social justice...and
family,” he concluded.
0 In response to repeated
claims by opponents that the

 

Holly Puterbaugh and Lois Farnham, two of the plaintiffs in the Baker
‘- case, were on hand for the final vote in the House of Representatives.

legislation would undermine-
so-called traditional marriage,
Rep. Karen Kitzmiller, D-
Montpelier, asked for even one
example of how her 25-year
marriage to her husband would
be hurt by recognizing gay and
lesbian couples as viable fami-
ly units.

The plaintiffs from the
Baker v. State case that started
the legislative ball were in the
well of the House as the role
call vote was taken. As they
waited for the official
announcement of the vote
results, Stacey Jolles turned to
her partner, Nina Beck, and
asked with a grin, “Will you
CU me?” Holding their son,
five-month-old Seth, Beck
replied, “Yes, I’ll CU you.” V

Heeding the warnings

‘against a reaction to the results

of the vote, the filled-to-capac-
ity chamber was nearly silent
as House Speaker Michael
Obujowski, D-Rockingham,
announced, “You have passed
bill H.847.” Even after a lunch

Stacey Jo||es,Ni
debated the civil union bill.

eck, and son Seth

Photo: Barbara Dozetos

   

  

watchepresentative

 

recess was called, the crowd of
supporters of the bill reacted
with tears, hugs, and smiles
rather than cheers. V ' ,

“We look forward to work-
ing with people on both sides
of this issue,” said attorney
Susan Murray, “to help bridge
the gap and bring understand-
ing to all Vermonters about this
bill.”

“lt’s really a breathtaking
step forward for gay people
and their families,” said Mary
Bonauto of Gay and Lesbian
Advocates and Defenders, co-
counsel with Murray and Beth
Robinson for the plaintiffs in
the Baker case. “It provides all
sorts of protections that did not

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BY STEVE HOWARD

Historic legislation for civil
unions may be headed to the
Governor’s desk, but are the
legislators who voted to send
the bill there headed for retire-
ment?

This is the question on the
top of most political insiders’
minds as both sides in the
debate over H.847 battle to
claim the political high
ground.

With all 150 members of
the House of Representatives
and all 30 state senators facing

re-election contests in just
months, Montpelier is awash
in debate over the political
impact passing civil unions
might have at the ballot box in
November.

“We will have to work
hard, but we would have had
to work hard anyway,” said
Rep. Barbara Postman, a
Democrat from the Northeast
Kingdom who voted for the
bill, describing the campaign
ahead. “I have faith that the
people of Vermont will choose
tolerance,” Postman said.

Rep. Postman may be

Legislators Dig In for November Battles

unique; most legislators who
supported H.847 in the House
of Representatives asked that
their names not be used in this
story for fear of attracting
attention to an issue they
believe has gotten them more
notice than they ever wanted.
Some said they had heard
enough from opponents of the
bill, many complaining this
correspondence came from
people outside of their dis-
tricts or Vermont. Supporters
said they are counting on that