Members of the House Judiciary
Committee have voted against two measures that attempt to repeal the
state's five-week-old gay marriage law, the AP reported.
One bill would have repealed the gay
marriage law approved by lawmakers last year, while the second would
have defined marriage as a heterosexual union in the New Hampshire
Constitution, effectively banning gay marriage.
Both bills met with strong opposition
from Democrats, who rejected the measures by a margin of 2 to 1.
Gay marriage opponents concede the
Democrat-controlled Legislature is unlikely to reconsider its
decision this year, but they hope to use the issue to alter the
political landscape in their favor in November.
State Representative David Bates, a
Republican from Windham, is behind a grassroots effort to raise the
issue at town hall meetings this spring. The
campaign encourages people to put a non-binding resolution calling
for a vote on gay marriage before town voters. Bates said he
expects a large majority of New Hampshire's towns will put the issue
on the agenda.