Please Let John Lynch Know You Appreciate His Decision To Support Civil Unions

by: Rep. Jim Splaine

Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 23:58:58 PM EDT

For those who helped, thank you.  We are taking an important step toward equality in New Hampshire, and that is a good thing to do.  It's been hard work for the past several months - - in fact, for the past several years. The work contiues...

The bill next goes to Governor John Lynch for his approval.  He may get it by next Monday or Tuesday, although that timeline may be delayed slightly as final "enrollment" of the bill is completed. 

This isn't law yet -- and I urge people who support House Bill 437 to write an E-Mail, make a telephone call, or write a hard-copy letter (that's the paper version of an E-Mail) to Governor John Lynch thanking him for his indication that he will sign the bill, and mentioning to him why it is important that he do so.  We need to do that within the next five days or so.

If you can, make your letter personal - - tell him YOUR story, or the story of your friends or neighbors or family.  Let him be able to learn more about why Civil Unions will benefit people, so that he can tell the people of the state he heard from us.

You can mail them to Governor John Lynch, The State House, 25 Capitol Street, Concord, NH 03301.  Or feel free to call and leave your message at 603-271-2121.  His FAX is 603-271-7680.  His office receives E-Mails through the State of New Hampshire WEBSITE, nh.gov, clicking on "Governor John Lynch," then "Contact Governor Lynch."

Please pass this message onto those who you know are supportive of Civil Unions and are for equality for all of our New Hampshire residents.  I copy the legislation below for your information as you prepare your letter to Governor Lynch. 

AN ACT permitting same gender couples to enter civil unions and have the same rights, responsibilities, and obligations as married couples.

SPONSORS:  Representative Jim Splaine, Rockingham County District #16; Representative Dana Hilliard, Strafford County District #2

COMMITTEE:  Judiciary

ANALYSIS

This bill permits same gender couples to enter civil unions and have the same rights, responsibilities, and obligations as married couples.

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven

AN ACT permitting same gender couples to enter civil unions and have the same rights, responsibilities, and obligations as married couples.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Chapter; Civil Unions. Amend RSA by inserting after chapter 457 the following new chapter:

CHAPTER 457-A / CIVIL UNIONS

457-A:1 State Recognition of Civil Unions; Purpose. The state of New Hampshire recognizes the civil union between one man and another man or one woman and another woman. The purpose of this chapter is to delineate the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of parties entering a civil union, to establish a process by which the civil union is established, and to provide a process for the dissolution of a civil union.

457-A:2 Requisites. Parties entering into a civil union shall be subject to the same requirements and conditions as contained in RSA 457, provided that civil unions shall only be allowed between one unmarried man and another unmarried man both of whom are at least 18 years of age or one unmarried woman and another unmarried woman both of whom are at least 18 years of age, subject to the prohibitions in RSA 457-A:3 and RSA 457-A:4 and provided that they are not in another civil union.

457-A:3 Civil Unions Prohibited; Men. No man shall enter into a civil union with his father, his grandfather, his father's brother, his mother's brother, his son, his brother, his son's son, his daughter's son, his brother's son, his sister's son, his father's brother's son, his mother's brother's son, his father's sister's son, or his mother's sister's son.

457-A:4 Civil Unions Prohibited; Women. No woman shall enter into a civil union with her mother, her grandmother, her father's sister, her mother's sister, her daughter, her sister, her son's daughter, her daughter's daughter, her brother's daughter, her sister's daughter, her father's brother's daughter, her mother's brother's daughter, her father's sister's daughter, or her mother's sister's daughter.

457-A:5 Forms, Documents, and Applications; How Performed. The secretary of state shall develop forms, documents and applications for entering into a civil union, which shall conform to this chapter. Civil unions shall be performed pursuant to the provisions of RSA 457:31 and entered into pursuant to the analogous provisions of RSA 5-C:41-61. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require a minister or clergyman or clergywoman to solemnize or perform a civil union.

457-A:6 Rights, Obligations, and Responsibilities. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the parties who enter into a civil union pursuant to this chapter shall be entitled to all the rights and subject to all the obligations and responsibilities provided for in state law that apply to parties who are joined together pursuant to RSA 457.

457-A:7 Dissolution. Parties who have entered into a civil union who wish to dissolve the civil union shall do so pursuant to RSA 458.

457-A:8 Other Jurisdictions. A civil union or a marriage between a man and another man or a woman and another woman legally contracted outside of New Hampshire shall be recognized as a civil union in this state, provided that the relationship does not violate the prohibitions of this chapter.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2008.

HB 437-FN-LOCAL - FISCAL NOTE

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Legislative Budget Assistant has determined that this legislation has a total fiscal impact of less than $10,000 in each of the fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

Note About RSA References:  RSA 457 are the New Hampshire marriage statutes; RSA 458 are the New Hampshire divorce statutes.