CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – The U.S. Episcopal Church’s first openly gay bishop is supporting a bill to allow same-sex marriage in New Hampshire.

The Rev. V. Gene Robinson testified in favor of the bill at the State House on Feb. 5, calling it a matter of fairness. He urged lawmakers to ignore objections opponents may have on religious grounds.

“Ladies and gentleman of the Judiciary Committee, don’t let the religious opponents to marriage equality you will hear from today and in the days to come make you afraid to do what is right,” Robinson said.

Robert Haynes, pastor of the New Life Community Church in Manchester, delivered a very different message. He said the bill flies in the face of New Hampshire’s legacy.

“New Hampshire has always been about being conservative,” Haynes said.

In response, Robinson called the bill a conservative proposal.

“It always surprises me that conservatives, who accuse the same-sex community of promiscuous and superficial relationships, would not be in favor of a law that would encourage committed relationships,” he said in a later interview.

Opponents repeatedly cited concerns about the bill’s impact on children. Republican state Rep. Daniel Itse said same-sex marriage would cause out-of-wedlock births to rise in New Hampshire, adding that the debate itself and civil unions have already cheapened marriage.

“Young people now see no need to get married,” Itse said. “It just doesn’t mean anything anymore.”

Emotions ran high for over 100 supporters and opponents at three hearings on the issue Feb. 5. Many lawmakers supporting the bill have a personal connection to the matter. Democratic state Rep. Edward Butler, a co-sponsor of the bill, testified with his civil union partner, Leslie Schoof. New Hampshire began issuing civil unions to same-sex couples last year.

“We knew that this was accepting a back seat in the bus,” Butler said. “But many of us felt it was a step in the right direction.”

Democratic state Sen. Harold Janeway said two of his children are gay and deserve equal treatment under the law.

“It’s painful for us to know that our gay children are treated differently from our straight children,” Janeway said.

More than 600 couples in New Hampshire have since had civil unions, which provide all the rights of marriage, except in name. The current bill would change that.

Lawmakers are considering several related bills this session, including a proposal to expressly ban same-sex marriage in the state. Another bill would bar New Hampshire from recognizing same-sex marriages in other jurisdictions as civil unions in the Granite State. The House Judiciary Committee held hearings on those bills as well Feb. 5.

Only Massachusetts and Connecticut allow same-sex marriage at present. Gov. John Lynch has said that he opposes same-sex marriage.

“We do have a civil unions law, and the governor thinks it’s working very well,” his spokesman Colin Manning said.

Robinson vowed to testify at future hearings if the bill failed this session.

“It’s not a matter of if on this issue, but when,” he said.