Civil unions advance in N.H.
Governor says he will sign bill now in Senate
By Lisa Wangsness, Globe Staff
April 20, 2007

Governor John Lynch of New Hampshire said yesterday that he would sign legislation establishing civil unions, removing what was seen as the last significant barrier to its passage.

Lynch's decision means that if the state Senate approves the bill next week, as anticipated, the state long known as the craggy old stronghold of New England conservatism would become just the fourth in the nation to permit civil unions and only the second to do it voluntarily, without a court order.

The state's popular Democratic governor took a position on civil unions for the first time yesterday in an interview with the Associated Press. He had previously come out against same-sex marriage, but had declined to say whether he would sign civil union legislation. the rest

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