Three representatives from the North Country voted not to kill House Bill 1264which would have allowed “an individual to choose not to provide accommodations, goods, or services for a marriage if doing so would violate his or her conscience or religious faith.”
It was proposed by Rep. Jerry Bergevin, a Republican from Hillsborough.
According to a story in The Concord Monitorcritics complained the bill would was trying to “undo the state’s passage of gay marriage” and was “more like 1950s Mississippi than 21stcentury New Hampshire.”
The Monitor quoted Bergevin as saying the goal of the legislation was to protect religious freedom.
"If a Jewish catering company refuses to serve pork, they should be able to. If a photographer wants to photograph only heterosexual couples, he would be protected to do so. If a photographer wants to photograph only same-sex couples, he would be protected to do that,” he told the newspaper.
After reviewing the bill the Judiciary Committee recommended it be “inexpedient to legislate” which is a recommendation that it be killed.
On Wednesday the House voted 246 to 85 to kill it.
The North Country reps who voted against killing the bill were:
* Duffy Daugherty (Republican) of Colebrook.
* Larry Rappaport (Republican) of Colebrook.
* Gregory Sorg (Republican) of Easton.
The North Country reps voting to kill the bill were:
* Gary Coulombe (Democrat) of Berlin
* Edmond Gionet (Republican) of Lincoln.
* William Hatch (Democrat) of Gorham
* Evalyn Merrick (Democrat) of Lancaster
* William Remick (Republican) of Lancaster
* Herb Richardson (Republican) of Lancaster
* Robert Theberge (Democrat) of Berlin
* John Tholl (Republican) of Whitefield
* Yvonne Thomas (Democrat) of Berlin
Four North Country reps were excused:
* Lyle Bulis (Republican) of Littleton
* Kathleen Taylor (Democrat) of Franconia
* Marc Tremblay (Republican) of Berlin
* Stephanie Eaton (Republican) of Littleton
To see how representatives voted on other legislation go here.
