New Hampshire Marriage Equality Bill Defeated

In an unexpected turn of events, The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives in New Hampshire voted down the bill with Gov. Lynch's changes in a 188-186 vote, hours after its Senate approved the legislation 14-10 along party lines. An earlier version of the bill passed the state’s House of Representatives on March 26.

Jennifer Daler at BlueHampshire reports:

We'd have to consult the various roll calls to see who changed their votes and ask why.

I'm listening to the streaming audio as I'm typing. Shawn Jasper, a Republican, made a motion to indefinitely postpone the bill, which basically kills it for the biennium. It would then need a 2/3 vote to be brought up again. Andy Peterson did this with the Governor's first school funding amendment. The indefinite postponement is of the motion by Dan Eaton to non concur and request a committee of conference. The motion failed.

It's going to a Committee of Conference.

What will happen now?

What a crushing blow! Of course numerous conspiracy theories are already racing through my head. Did the governor, who is openly opposed to same-sex marriage, know this could happen?

BUT THERE IS STILL HOPE.

NPR affiliates WBUR reports, "A divided New Hampshire House has refused to go along with changes the governor demanded to make his state the sixth to allow gay marriage. Instead, it voted to further negotiate with the Senate. . .

Opponents tried to kill the bill, but failed. The House then voted 207-168 to ask the Senate to negotiate a compromise."

So now it goes to committee where bills usually go to die, but since votes changed against us unexpectedly, maybe things can change unexpectedly again in our favor. Another vote could happen in two weeks.

If these changes are not made, Gov. Lynch will not sign the bill.