Current Status
- Civil marriage equality in effect at the state level since 2010. (Same-sex couples may legally marry.)
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
- On 31 May 2007, Governor John Lynch signed a civil unions bill into law making New Hampshire, "the first state to embrace same-sex unions without a court order or the threat of one." The law took effect 1 January 2008.
- Under the New Hampshire civil unions law same-sex civil unions or marriages conducted in other jurisdictions were recognized as civil unions in New Hampshire.
- Same-sex marriage was legalized via legislation in New Hampshire on 1 January 2010.
- On 1 January 2011 all civil unions became legal marriages.
Legislation - Pending
HB 670-FN - An Act relative to the rights of conscience for medical professionals
Date Introduced: 10 January 2015
Author/Sponsor: Representatives Groen and R. Gordon
Description:
- Another so-called "religious freedom"/"freedom to discriminate" bill, this bill would allow any health care provider to refuse to provide any health care/medical service to a person (interpret as any LGBT person) by claiming a conscientious objection.
Legislation - Enacted
HB 436 - Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage
Author/Sponsor: Rep. Splaine, Rep. McEachern, Rep. Butler, and Rep. B. Richardson
Date Introduced: 8 January 2009
Date Enacted: 1 January 2010
Description:
- A bill that amended existing statutes related to marriage by specifying that it is a legally recognized union of two people, provided that they meet the existing eligibility requirements beginning 1 January 2010, thereby eliminating the prohibition against same-sex marriage. Specifies that individuals licensed to solemnize marriages are authorized to refuse to solemnize any particular civil marriage in violation of their religious or free expression rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and New Hampshire Constitution. Specifies that marriages legally contracted outside of the State of New Hampshire, including same-sex marriages, shall be recognized by the state of New Hampshire as a legitimate marriage once the contracting parties become permanent residents of the state.
- The law provided that civil unions, which the state had established as of 1 January 2008, would be converted to marriages on 1 January 2011, unless dissolved, annulled, or converted to marriage before that date.
- Signed by Governor John Lynch on 3 June 2009. Lynch was the second governor in the United States to sign a bill to legalize same-sex marriage.
Lawsuits - Resolved
None.
Ballot Initiatives - Passed
None.
Polls
- 15 January 2014, results of a Public Policy Polling survey found that 60% of New Hampshire voters thought that same-sex marriage should be legal, while 29% thought it should be illegal and 11% were not sure. Poll Details
- 17 September 2013, results of a Public Policy Polling survey found that 55% of New Hampshire voters thought that same-sex marriage should be legal, while 32% thought it should be illegal and 13% were not sure. Poll Details
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