The Governor's promise comes a week before the State Senate is slated to vote on a House backed plan to grant same sex couples the same rights as married couples.
The Governor had been quiet on civil unions for weeks and he informed the public of his position quietly, too -- via a morning interview with the associated press. In the afternoon, the Governor spoke briefly with other reporters.
"With civil unions, I decided that I will sign the civil unions bill that I expect to come to my desk after it passes the State Senate. For me, its a matter of fairness, a matter of conscience, and it's also a effort to really eliminate or prevent descrimination."
Lynch also reiterated his oppositioned to gay marriage, but did stress the tangible benefits same sex couples would realize if civil unions were law.
"This will allow gay and lesbian couples to have access to hospital visitation rights, for example, they'll be able to access inheritance rights, criminal victim's rights, all those things that I think are important."
Statehouse reaction to the Governor's announcement was ran the gamut.……Senate Democrats greeted the news warmly, and some were quick to say they predicted it all along.
"I'm not surprised."
That's Cornish Senator Peter Burling.
"I look forwards to taking that vote. My guess is that next week is going to be a good week for democrats, we age going to pass a buch of bills that we've been working on for a long time, and civil unions is going to be one of those events."
Reaction among Republicans was, by and large, less generous.
"I am disgusted with him signing that, totally disgusted."
That's Raymond senator Jack Barnes.
"I think the next election he's going to have a goddamn lot of people mad as hell at him for doing this."
Leaders of the state's political parties, meanwhile, wasted little time in trying to spin the news of Lynch's decision. New Hampshire Democratic party Chairman Ray Buckley, issued a statement saying civil unions is an issue that has wide bipartisan support, noting that in Connecticut a Republican Governor signed civil unions into law, and that "at least two GOP presidential candidates support them." But opposition to civil unions remains a plank in the state republican party platform, and GOP state Chairman Fergus Cullen says Lynch's support shows that the Governor is more extreme than people think.
"Governor Lynch likes to pose as this non-partisan, centrist moderate, but that's not where he is. When it comes to social policy he always aligns himself with the left wing of his party."
But to Gay-rights advocates, the Governor's stance is moderate, and reflective of the people's will. Dawn Touzin is with New Hampshire Freedom to Marry.
"The majority of people in this state just understand that this just makes sense: it's an an idea who' time has come. And as time goes on, the libertarian vaules that we have in this state that value civil rights just win out."
The State Senate will vote on civil unions on Thursday. If it passes, New Hampshire will become the fourth state to allow them, and the second to do so without the pressure of a court order.
