Vt. lawmakers pass gay health care provision

Vermont State Capitol (Photo by Alexander C. Wimmer via Wikimedia Commons)

MONTPELIER, Vt. — The Vermont House has voted to require out-of-state companies that offer health coverage to spouses of opposite-sex married couples to provide the same benefits to same-sex couples, the Associated Press reported Monday.

The bill passed 139-5 after less than 15 minutes of debate, the AP said. Some legislators did raise the issue of whether such a law could stand up if challenged under the Defense of Marriage Act.

Vermont legalized gay marriage in 2009.