Vermont legalizes gay marriage with veto override

News.Yahoo.com – By Dave Gram, Associated Press Writer

Montpelier, Vt. – Vermont on Tuesday became the fourth state to legalize gay marriage – and the first to do so with a legislature’s vote.

The House recorded a dramatic 100-49 vote – the minimum needed – to override Gov. Jim Douglas’ veto. Its vote followed a much easier override vote in the Senate, which rebuffed the Republican governor with a vote of 23-5.

Vermont was the first state to legalize civil unions for same-sex couples and joins Connecticut, Massachusetts and Iowa in giving gays the right to marry. Their approval of gay marriage came from the courts.