Photos from the New Hampshire State House
Results of the vote on HB 73, the amended marriage bill
Freedom is freedom for all
It was when Representative Roberts took the mike on the floor of the New Hampshire House of Representatives that I knew that we would win.
“Tomorrow is promised to no one. To enjoy the beauty of the world, to enjoy the love of our lives… freedom is freedom for all,” he said.
A former opponent of marriage equality, Representative Roberts came to understand the discrimination and harm that stems from the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage, through the conversations with the many gay and lesbian families and constituents in New Hampshire.
Sitting in the packed and sweaty gallery and waiting for the final vote yesterday, I flashed back to my very first meeting last winter with Representative Jim Splaine, the lead sponsor of the marriage bill. We had our meeting in the same gallery. “Welcome to my office,” he smiled, as I had my first lesson in the quirks and challenges of working with a part-time citizen legislature of 424 members, most of whom do not have offices or staff. “I’ve introduced a marriage equality bill, and I could use your help,” he asked.
Little did I know the many twists and turns – successes and roadblocks – that would lead out of that first conversation.
I am proud that, from the very beginning, GLAD invested resources and began working on New Hampshire’s marriage equality bill as part of our 6 x ’12 campaign to bring equal marriage rights to all 6 New England states by 2012. We provided memo after memo of legal analysis, shared our expertise regarding other states’ marriage bills (such as Vermont’s and Maine’s), educated both legislators and the public about the harms that arise from the separate and unequal system of civil unions, assisted legislators with any and every question they had, and helped strategize public education efforts. No one then thought the bill had a chance of succeeding when we first started last winter, and even I found myself in disbelief each time the bill moved one more step forward.
I am equally proud of the collaborative relationships we developed with New Hampshire Freedom to Marry and other partner organizations, such as MassEquality, GLAAD and HRC, who all worked furiously in the final months to get us past the finish line through a terrific lobbying and field campaign.
When I saw the vote count, 198-176, light up on the board from the still sweaty gallery, the first thing that I did was call my fiancé. I said to him, “I know we’ve already picked out a nice venue for the wedding in Boston, but what about New Hampshire?”
What about New Hampshire? I think that New Hampshire answered that question loud and clear yesterday.
- Janson Wu, GLAD attorney
Some more photographs from yesterday's passage of the amended marriage equality bill in the New Hampshire State House yesterday - enjoy!
Statue of Daniel Webster in front of the State House
Carisa Cunningham, bill sponsor Rep. Jim Splaine, and Janson Wu on the steps of the NH State House
Anti-gay protester in front of the State House
Children reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at pro-equality rally
GLAD legal intern Mike Arthus and GLAD attorney Janson Wu sit in the gallery of the NH State House
The New Hampshire House of Representatives debating marriage bill
Reverend Gene Robinson speaks at pro-equality rally following passage of HB 73
GLAD attorney Janson Wu, Rep. Lucy McVitty Weber, and Rep. David Pierce following the passage of HB 73