A marriage bill has been introduced in Vermont, which has had a civil-union system in place since 2000, that would allow same-sex couples to wed, and also give religious institutions the power to refuse to conduct such ceremonies. "This is the year we've been planning for quite some time. In 2000 when the civil-union law passed it was a step forward but it was also a compromise," said Beth Robinson, director of Vermont Freedom to Marry. WCAX-TV (Burlington, Vt.) (01/07)