BREAKING: Vermont House Approves Marriage Equality Bill 95-52

After four hours of heated debate, late tonight Vermont's House of Representatives approved marriage equality tonight by a vote of 95-52.

The legislation, S.115, gives same-sex couples the right to marry in Vermont. The bill will be brought up again Friday for final approval, then return to the Senate, where changes to language must be approved. Should the Senate OK those changes, the bill will head to Douglas’ desk and a promised veto. That veto — which Douglas declared last week he would deliver — would not kill the legislation. Instead members of the House and Senate will try to override the veto by securing a two-thirds majority of support in each chamber. The Senate would need 20 votes; the House would need 100 with all members in attendance.

As noted above, the number of votes needed to override a veto by Gov. Jim Douglas is very close to what tonight's vote was.