"The Iowa Supreme Court ruled that the state's same-sex-marriage ban violates the constitutional rights of gay and lesbian couples, making it the third state where gay marriage is legal.

In a unanimous ruling issued Friday, the court upheld a 2007 Polk County District Court judge's ruling that the law was unconstitutional. The case stems from a 2005 lawsuit filed by Lambda Legal, a New York-based gay-rights organization. The group filed a lawsuit on behalf of six gay and lesbian Iowa couples who were denied marriage licenses.

Connecticut and Massachusetts are the two states that allow same-sex couples to marry. California briefly recognized gay marriage until voters banned it in a referendum last year.

Meanwhile, the Vermont House of Representatives late Thursday approved a bill legalizing gay marriage, a measure that now faces a veto from the state's governor.

The Democratic-controlled house voted 95-52 in favor of the bill, which had already cleared the state Senate in a 26-4 vote. The state's Republican governor, James Douglas, says he now plans to veto it.


Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas is hugged by opponents of the gay-marriage bill in Montpelier Thursday. Douglas has threatened to veto the measure.

Supporters of the Vermont bill would need additional votes in the house to override the veto, which requires two-thirds majorities in both chambers of the legislature.

Lawmakers in New Hampshire and Maine also are considering bills that would allow gay marriage."

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A sorry state of affairs when California is more reactionary than Iowa!! :D


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