Vermont

After having remained mum throughout much of the debate on a gay marriage bill in Vermont, Gov. Jim Douglas said Wednesday he will veto the measure if it reaches his desk.

He told reporters that he throught the state's civil unions law provided sufficient rights to same-sex couples and reaffirmed his support for marriage between one man and one woman.

"For those reasons and because I believe that by removing any uncertainty about my position we can move more quickly beyond this debate, I am announcing that I intend to veto this legislation when it reaches my desk," Douglas said, according to The Associated Press. more >>

The Vermont Senate overwhelmingly approved on Monday a measure legalizing same-sex marriage.

After a 26-4 vote in the Senate, the House Judiciary Committee is expected to begin debating the gay marriage measure on Tuesday. The bill is also expected to be approved by the state House by next month.

If the bill becomes law, Vermont would become the third state after Massachusetts and Connecticut to allow same-sex marriage and the first state to permit gay and lesbian couples to marry by a vote of the Legislature. more >>

Vermont moved closer to allowing same-sex couples to marry after a state Senate committee advanced a gay marriage bill on Friday.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 5-0 on a measure that would make Vermont the third state to legalize same-sex marriage. The bill heads to the full senate next week.

Gov. Jim Douglas said he believes in traditional marriage but would not say whether he will veto the bill if it reaches his desk. more >>

Hundreds of traditional marriage supporters rallied Monday at the Statehouse in Montpelier, Vt., as lawmakers began work on a same-sex marriage bill.

Opponents of the measure that would allow gays and lesbians to marry say same-sex couples already have legal rights through civil unions and believe passing a gay marriage bill would undermine traditional marriage between a man and a woman.

"The only thing our gay and lesbian friends can get from this is potentially additional social acceptance," said Steve Cable of Vt. Renewal, a group that opposes gay marriage, according to the local WCAX-TV News. more >>

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Nine years after becoming the first state to permit civil unions, Vermont moved a step toward legalizing gay marriage Friday.

A bill that would allow same-sex unions was introduced in the Legislature, causing a crowd of about several hundred supporters to gather at the Statehouse in celebration.

"This really is a great day and a part of moving forward to a time when all Vermont couples will be treated equally under our laws," said a sponsor, Rep. Mark Larson. more >>

UNDERHILL, Vt. - Could climate change dull the blazing palette of New England's fall foliage?

The answer could have serious implications for one of the region's signature attractions, which draws thousands of "leaf peepers" every autumn.

Biologists at the University of Vermont's Proctor Maple Research Center will do some leaf peeping of their own to find out — studying how temperature affects the development of autumn colors and whether the warming climate could mute them, prolong the foliage viewing season or delay it. more >>