N.H. Guv: Change Gay Marriage Bill and I'll Sign

May 14, 2009 6:03 PM

ABC News' Teddy Davis reports:

New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch (D) urged his state legislature on Thursday to change the recently passed gay marriage bill to protect individuals working for religious institutions.

Lynch says if the changes are made, he'll sign a law permitting gays and lesbians to marry.

If the changes are not made, he'll veto it.

The New Hampshire governor says he wants protections for religious institutions like the ones found in Vermont and Connecticut, two states where same-sex marriage was recently adopted.

"This morning, I met with House and Senate leaders, and the sponsors of this legislation, and gave them language that will provide additional protections to religious institutions," said Lynch. "This new language will provide the strongest and clearest protections for religious institutions and associations, and for the individuals working with such institutions. It will make clear that they cannot be forced to act in ways that violate their deeply held religious principles."

Read Lynch's full statement here.

If New Hampshire's legislature adopts the suggested language and Lynch goes on to sign the bill, he will join a growing list of Democratic politicians who have recently endorsed same-sex marriage after having previously been opposed to it.

Other Democrats who have recently reversed themselves on this issue include New York Sen. Chuck Schumer (D), Maine Gov. John Baldacci (D), and former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean.

Appearing Tuesday on ABC News' "Top Line," Dean, a long-time supporter of civil unions, said he would have legalized same-sex marriage in Vermont if he had still been governor. The bill became law on April 7 when the state's Democratic legislature overrode the veto of Republican Gov. Jim Douglas.

"Look, things have changed," said Dean. "There were a lot of things I didn't know. I was the first in the nation. I believe that equal right under the law is for everyone. Each state has the right to make up its mind about how they want to do equal rights under the law. We chose civil unions because we were the first state in the country. Marriage never would have passed. Even I wasn't really ready for that."

"But I thought the people of Vermont would get used to civil unions and they did," he added. "Now they want to move on."

Watch Dean's interview by clicking here.

ABC News' David Chalian and Elizabeth Gorman contributed to this report.