Rowland Against Gay Marriage Legislation

By Laura Walsh

Associated Press

HARTFORD –– Gov John G. Rowland said Tuesday that he likely would veto any piece of legislation that legalized gay marriage in Connecticut.

Mr Rowland’s comments came as gay-rights activists celebrated a ruling by Massachusetts’ highest court that found that state’s constitution guarantees same-sex couples the right to marry.

“Whatever they want to do in Massachusetts, they’re welcome to, as they did in Vermont,” said Mr Rowland. “But I don’t see a lot of support here in Connecticut for same-sex marriages, among the legislators.”

Sen Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., who is running for president, said that while he opposes gay marriage, “I have also long believed that states have the right to adopt for themselves laws that allow same-sex unions.”

Also Tuesday, a coalition of gay-rights groups released a survey they said shows support in Connecticut for legalizing civil marriages between same-sex couples.

The telephone poll of 600 registered voters in Connecticut, conducted by Washington, D.C.-based Decision Research, found 57 percent of the people surveyed said same-sex couples should have the right to enter into civil marriage, while 77 percent said they would find it acceptable if same-sex civil marriages were legalized.

The survey, conducted between October 22 and October 27, had a sampling error margin of about four percentage points.

Anne Stanback, president of Love Makes a Family, said the survey also found that 59 percent of voters would support Connecticut recognizing same-sex civil marriages from another state.

Ms Stanback foresees hundreds of gay couples traveling to Massachusetts, getting married and then living as a legalized union in Connecticut.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is giving the legislature 180 days to come up with a solution that would allow the same-sex couples to wed. But the court, in its 4-3 ruling, did not immediately issue marriage licenses to the seven couples who sued.

Opponents of the decision remain hopeful that the legislature will use the time to enact a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a union between a man and woman. It is currently under consideration.

The issue of same-sex marriage is expected to come up when the Connecticut legislature returns to the Capitol in February.

Last session marked the third year in a row proponents have fought to open the marriage laws.