With a (mostly meaningless) addition, Gov. John Lynch is set to make New Hampshire the sixth of the 50 states to acknowledge equal protection under the law and Constitution this week:

‘Gov. John Lynch will sign a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, he announced yesterday – but only if the Legislature passes extra protections for religious groups and their employees, allowing them to steer clear of weddings that contradict their beliefs. If not, Lynch said, he would veto the bill.
‘Lynch’s proposed language would allow religious groups and their employees to decline to provide services or accommodations related to a marriage that is “in violation of their religious beliefs and faiths,” and it would shield them from legal complaints. The provisions would clarify the rights of a church-employed organist, for example, to refuse to play at a same-sex ceremony.
…
‘State Rep. Jim Splaine, a Portsmouth Democrat who sponsored the original same-sex marriage bill, said the key point is that Lynch said he would sign the bill. He described the specific exemptions Lynch called for as largely academic. “What gay or lesbian couple is going to want to go out and give their hard-earned dollars to people who really don’t want to participate in their weddings?” he said.’
—Concord Monitor

In a separate article, the governor explained why he plans to sign the altered bill:

‘”My personal views on the subject of marriage have been shaped by my own experience, tradition and upbringing. But as governor of New Hampshire, I recognize that I have a responsibility to consider this issue through a broader lens,” Lynch said yesterday. “I have heard, and I understand, the very real feelings of same-sex couples that a separate system is not an equal system. That a civil law that differentiates between their committed relationships and those of heterosexual couples undermines both their dignity and the legitimacy of their families.”‘

Well said, governor. This is exactly the issue. It’s about equality under the law, which is guaranteed to us all through the Constitution. Civil unions are not equal; anything short of marriage equality undermines the dignity and legitimacy of millions of American citizens. And THAT is the issue.

Congratulations, Granite State. And congratulations New England. All eyes are now on New York.

UPDATE 3-Jun-09: After some back and forth and wheeler-dealing, the changes to the bill have been made and «it was just announced that Gov. Lynch has signed the bill». Six down, 44 to go. Woo-hoo!!!