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Outright Vermont Prepares for New Executive Director
Civil Union Group Changes Focus
Civil Union Group Changes FocusFormerly the Vermont Freedom to Marry Action Committee, the lobbying entity that took the lead in the Baker v. Sate decision last year, has changed its name to Vermonters for Civil Unions Legislative Defense Fund. This time with its mission being to protect the integrity of the civil union law, the VCULDF is gearing up for another legislative session. Now that the House and Senate committees are formed, and the session is underway, they have a better sense of where things are going this time around. Currently, the Civil Union issue looks like it will not be revisited, considering that the Senate Judiciary Committee is the same as last year. There is one exception though, which may or may not have any impact: Senator Campbell has replaced Senator McCormack. Current Committee members are Senators Sears, Cummings, Illuzzi, Bloomer, Leddy and Campbell. Four of the six Committee members support Civil Unions. As of now, it doesn’t look like the Senate Judiciary Committee has any plans to revisit the Civil Union issue. A closely divided anti-civil union House Judiciary Committee plans to evaluate the law, although the civil union law won’t be its sole focus. House Judiciary Committee Chair Peg Flory, a Republican from Pittsford, has indicated that she will try to limit consideration of the civil union law to one day each week — Tuesdays. The possibility of repeal remains; the committee will also likely explore ways to weaken and undermine the law without repealing it outright. The House Judiciary Committee has six members on record opposed to Civil Unions (Reps Flory, Gervais, Haas, Kennedy, Kilmartin, and Otterman) and five members on record in support (Reps Vinton, Kainen, Grad, Lippert, Nuovo). That committee does plan to reexamine the law and will be holding committee hearings mostly on Tuesdays throughout the session. VCULDF officer Susan Murray notes, “It’s important to remember that if the legislature had voted on the civil union bill in the first week of last year, it probably wouldn’t have passed. When legislators have the opportunity to listen and learn, they come to see that respecting and protecting us and our families doesn’t harm anyone else, and makes the whole community stronger.” The future direction of the life of Civil Unions is difficult to predict, though the organization is intent on staying vigilant and active to protect those laws. VCULDF Chair Beth Robinson explains, “We’re not out of the woods yet. Even though the people of Vermont sent a strong signal in November’s elections that we are ready to move on to other issues, some Representatives are fiercely committed to gutting or repealing the law.” Vermonters for Civil Unions Legislative Defense Fund will coordinate grassroots responses to the legislature and will maintain a lobbying presence in the statehouse.
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