Iowa gets Gay Marriage: 'A Matter of Common Sense and Decency'

UPDATE: The Vermont Legislature did override the governor's veto a few days after the Iowa ruling, and marriage is now legal for same-sex couples in 4 states. Vermont is the first state to legalize gay marriage without a court order. 

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Iowa's Supreme Court legalized gay marriage today in a unanimous decision that makes Iowa the third state — and the first in the nation's heartland — to allow same-sex couples to wed.

"We are firmly convinced the exclusion of gay and lesbian people from the institution of civil marriage does not substantially further any important governmental objective," wrote Justice Cady.

In a joint statement, Iowa's Senate and House leaders wrote, "When all is said and done, we believe the only lasting question about today's events will be why it took us so long. It is a tough question to answer because treating everyone fairly is really a matter of Iowa common sense and Iowa common decency."

Marriage licenses will be available to gay and lesbian couples in about three weeks.

Meanwhile, the Vermont House passed a gay marriage bill 95-52 yesterday, but needed 99 votes to override the governor's promised veto. The Senate approved it by a veto-proof majority last week. The governor has five days to veto the bill, and then it returns to the House for a final override attempt.

The New Hampshire legislature is also expected to approve a same-sex marriage bill next week, and the democratic governor supports it.

Iowa is the 4th state to gain marriage equality. Massachusetts and Connecticut allow same-sex marriage, and California briefly allowed gay marriages before a voter initiative narrowly overturned it. The California court will issue a ruling on the voter ban by June 5.

On Wednesday, Sweden became the 7th nation in the world to legalize gay marriage.