Maine Moves a Step Closer to Allowing Gay Marriage

The Maine Legislature has approved a bill that would make the state the fifth to allow gay marriage.

The bill faces one more vote each in the House and Senate before it goes to Gov. John Baldacci (bahl-DAH'-chee). He is a Democrat and remains undecided.

The House gave approval Tuesday after rejecting a proposal to let voters decide the issue in November.

Four other states allow gay marriage, three of them also in New England. They are Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont and Iowa.

Maine would become only the second state to allow gay marriage through an act of a legislature.

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