New Hampshire Gay Marriage Ban Becomes Law

(Concord, New Hampshire) New Hampshire Gov. Craig Benson Friday signed legislation that prevents the state from recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states.

The new law takes effect immediately, just three days before gay marriage becomes legal in neighboring Massachusetts.

New Hampshire already had a law that defines marriage as being between a man and a woman, but it makes no reference to other marriages performed outside of the state.

Legislators said they had to act quickly to stop same-sex couples from getting married in Massachusetts and then returning home to demand benefits.

Last month, hundreds of people crowded into the capitol as the House began deliberations. (story)

The law signed by Gov. Benson leaves open the possibility of civil Unions in New Hampshire. A Senate committee will begin looking at that issue later this year.

http://www.365gay.com/newscon04/05/051504nhBan.htm

This is crazy, worrying about what other states are doing and passing laws not to recognize the marriages :(

So what happens if (god forbid) a gay couple from Mass. get married, go on vacation to New Hampshire and one of them gets in an accident and needs to have their husband sign medical treatment forms in a hospital?

Regards,

Lee

What I don't get is that various states have the right to decide this stuff either way - pro or con. I'd think human rights is a constitutional issue and would be a national decision type thing.