N.H. legislature passes civil unions, and minimum wage increase

Presidential candidates are already commenting on two pieces of legislation that passed the New Hampshire State Senate today and are headed to the desk of Governor John Lynch ,who is expected to sign them into law.

This morning, New Hampshire's Senate voted 19-5 to increase the state's minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 over the course of a year.

The same legislative body voted 14-10 to make New Hampshire the fourth state to allow civil unions between same sex couples.

Campaigning in New Hampshire today, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney made referenced to today's vote three times as a way of explaining how he "strongly opposed efforts to to allow gay marriage" while governor.

However, New York Senator Hillary Clinton applauded the vote.

“New Hampshire continues to lead the country in preserving the rights and freedom of all of its citizens," said Clinton in a statement.

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards released a statement applauding the increase of the minimum wage saying, "New Hampshire leaders have made an unquestionable commitment to justice and increased prosperity for New Hampshire’s workers."