Rhode Island’s House of Representatives approves same-sex marriage bill

Rhode Island’s House of Representatives has voted 51 to 19 in favor of a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in the state. The bill will now go before the State Senate to be voted on. If the bill passes in the Senate, Rhode Island will become the tenth state in the nation to recognize same-sex marriage. It would also make same-sex marriage legal in the entire New England region.

“My wife and I have been married since 1997, and as we’ve worked together to raise our son, the value of having a committed, strong family has become more apparent to us over time,” said Representative Arthur Handy, who had repeatedly proposed the bill for 11 years. “All Rhode Islanders deserve to enjoy that security and support, and deserve to have their family recognized as equal to others.”

“Although this vote is indeed historic, there is still a long way to go,” Rhode Island’s independent governor Lincoln Chafee stated. “Now that the House has swiftly acted, I urge Senate leadership to ‘call the roll’ — for our economy, for our gay and lesbian friends and neighbors, and for history.”

Passing the bill in the Senate is expected to be a greater challenge. With a string of other issues to contend with, including one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, it may be months before the bill is even debated.