Marriage equality is a reality today in Vermont, as the House of Representatives overrode the veto of Governor Jim Douglas (R) with literally the closest vote possible, 67% of the vote.
Vermont’s House of Representatives and Senate both voted to override the governor’s veto of the state’s marriage equality bill, known as SB 115. Governor Jim Douglas (R) formalized his veto behind closed doors yesterday evening less than an hour after the amended bill was passed by the Senate.
For those keeping score, the bill passed in the Senate last week 495 with a vote of 26-4 (87% FOR) before it headed to the House. The House Judiciary Committee sent the bill to the floor with a vote of 8-2 (80% FOR). Then on Thursday the House passed the bill with a vote of 95-52 (65% FOR). (The final House vote on Friday changed to 94-52 (64% FOR) because a supporting member was not present.)
No matter how you slice it, that’s a decisive majority all along the way.
The Senate was the first to take up the measure to override the governor’s veto, with a final tally of 23-5, with one Republican switching his vote. Still and all, a decisive victory in the Senate with 82% of the vote.
The House had always been the question mark in the process, since the pre-veto tally was just below the 100 vote (67%) threshold. Just minutes ago, the veto was overridden with exactly 100 votes, 67.11% of members present.
There will be more news and analysis later, but for now we celebrate.
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