by Rex Wockner
National News Briefs
Despite unrelenting pressure from anti-gay activists, including via TV ads, New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch said May 14 he will sign a bill passed by the legislature legalizing same-sex marriage.
Lynch, however, asked the legislature, known as the General Court, to make some changes to the measure first – alterations that legislative leaders and the state's gay activist establishment said are fine with them.
The process is expected to be completed quickly.
The revised bill will include this painstaking language:
"Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a religious organization, association, or society, or any individual who is managed, directed, or supervised by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association or society, or any non-profit institution or organization operated, supervised or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association or society, shall not be required to provide services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods or privileges to an individual if such request for such services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods or privileges is related to the solemnization of a marriage, the celebration of a marriage, or the promotion of marriage through religious counseling, programs, courses, retreats, or housing designated for married individuals, and such solemnization, celebration, or promotion of marriage is in violation of their religious beliefs and faith. Any refusal to provide services, accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods or privileges in accordance with this section shall not create any civil claim or cause of action or result in any state action to penalize or withhold benefits from such religious organization, association or society, or any individual who is managed, directed, or supervised by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association or society, or any nonprofit institution or organization operated, supervised or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association or society.
"The marriage laws of this state shall not be construed to affect the ability of a fraternal benefit society to determine the admission of members … and shall not require a fraternal benefit society that has been established and is operating for charitable and educational purposes and which is operated, supervised or controlled by or in connection with a religious organization to provide insurance benefits to any person if to do so would violate the fraternal benefit society's free exercise of religion as guaranteed by the first amendment of the Constitution of the United States and part 1, article 5 of the Constitution of New Hampshire."
Other new language says the new marriage laws cannot be used to limit existing protections and exemptions provided to religious organizations.
The alterations also repeal the state's civil-union law effective Jan. 1, 2011, and prohibit any new civil unions from taking place after Jan. 1, 2010.
In announcing his decision, Lynch wrote: "At its core, (this bill) simply changes the term 'civil union' to 'civil marriage.' Given the cultural, historical and religious significance of the word marriage, this is a meaningful change. I have heard, and I understand, the very real feelings of same-sex couples that a separate system is not an equal system. That a civil law that differentiates between their committed relationships and those of heterosexual couples undermines both their dignity and the legitimacy of their families. …
"We can and must treat both same-sex couples and people of certain religious traditions with respect and dignity. I believe this proposed language will accomplish both of these goals."
