Wednesday, May 13, 2009

NH Marriage Became Law at Midnight?

Thanks to Law Dork, 2.0, via the New Civil Rights Movement...

Per Article 44 of the New Hampshire Constitution:
Every bill which shall have passed both houses of the general court, shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the governor, if he approves, he shall sign it, but if not, he shall return it, with his objections, to that house in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the objections at large on their journal, and proceed to reconsider it; if after such reconsideration, two-thirds of that house shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with such objections, to the other house, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and, if approved by two-thirds of that house, it shall become a law. . . . If any bill shall not be returned by the governor within five days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law in like manner as if he had signed it unless the legislature, by their adjournment, prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a law.
It appears that, since it has now been five days since the bill landed on the Governor's desk, it is "law in like manner as if he had signed it."

Did Gov. Lynch just let marriage happen... without moving at all? Oops? Or, yea?

Congratulations to our dear friend at LawDork, 2.0 for the shout out and the repost on Pam's House Blend for this same article!!!! :-)

UPDATE: Readers over at LezGetReal corrected this; it is not going up, yet, as it has not officially arrived on Gov. Lynch's desk. So sad.

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