A bill that would have mandated that partners in civil unions be added to all state insurance laws was put on hold just as House committee was about to hold a hearing on the measure.

Rep. Edward Butler (D), the bill's sponsor, pulled the legislation, saying there were other measures dealing with same-sex couples that should be considered first.

Among those is a proposal to change New Hampshire's year old civil union law to allow for full marriage. A hearing on that bill is scheduled for Feb. 5.