Same-sex unions
In the year 2000,as the vice chair of the House Judiciary Committee,and as the General Assembly's only openly gay member,Lippert was central to the work of drafting and passing into law the landmark Vermont civil union law which granted legal recognition to same gender couples. Following passage of the civil union law,the Vermont Democratic Party faced a backlash and lost its majority in the House. Subsequently,Lippert lost his position as vice chair of the Judiciary Committee,though he easily won re-election to his seat in the House.
Following the 2004 election,the Democrats regained their House majority and Lippert was appointed to chair the Judiciary Committee by House Speaker Gaye Symington.
In 2006,Lippert was the lead sponsor of the Transgender Non-discrimination Bill in the House. Work on this bill had been postponed in 2000 following the December,1999 VT Supreme Court's Baker v. State decision,which unexpectedly sent the debate for same-sex marriage to the Vermont legislature for resolution. Despite passage by the House and the Senate,Gov. Jim Douglas vetoed the Transgender Non-discrimination legislation. Lippert sponsored this civil rights bill again in 2007,ultimately securing passage and signature by Gov. Douglas,following minor changes to the bill.
In 2009,Lippert chaired the House hearings on full Marriage Equality,and led its successful passage by the House on a vote of 94–52. Despite strong votes and passage by both the Senate (26–4) and the House (94–52),Gov. Jim Douglas vetoed the Marriage Equality bill on April 6,2009. In Vermont,overriding a governor's veto requires a two thirds majority,not a simple majority of fifty percent. On April 7,2009,the Senate overrode the veto on a vote of 23–5. Lippert worked with House leadership to marshall enough House votes,and the House followed suit,overriding the governor's veto 100–49. As a result,full Marriage Equality became Vermont law on April 7,2009,with marriages taking place beginning on September 1,2009.
Lippert continued to serve as chair of the House Judiciary Committee through 2014. In 2015,Lippert was appointed by House Speaker Shap Smith to chair the House Health Care Committee.
Lippert's legislative work to achieve Civil Unions in 2000 was prominently featured in Civil Wars:A Battle for Gay Marriage - David Moats,Harcourt,Inc.,2004. Editorial Page Editor of the Rutland Herald,Moats received the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for his 2000 editorial series covering the Civil Unions controversy in Vermont.
We Do!:American Leaders Who Believe in Marriage Equality - Madeleine Kunin &Jennifer Baumgardner,Editors,2013 featured Lippert's April 15,2000 Civil Unions speech on the House floor in its anthology of marriage equality speeches and interviews.
Freedom &Unity:The Vermont Movie,Part Four,"Doers and Shapers," Nora Jacobson,2013,presents "institutions and people who push boundaries" - including Rep. Ron Squires,Vermont's first openly gay legislator,and Lippert's involvement in the Vermont gay rights movement.
The documentary film, The State of Marriage (Jeff Kaufman,Director/Producer [3] ),which premiered June 2015,also features Lippert's work from 2000 - 2009 for same-sex marriage in the Vermont legislature.
