Gay Marriage Bill To Be Introduced In Rhode Island

[Governor Scott]

The New Civil Rights Movement-

A gay marriage bill will be introduced in the state of Rhode Island Thursday, the final day bills may be introduced. Last year Rhode Island passed a civil unions bill into law, but the marriage equality bill fell short of support amidst several poison pill amendment attempts. Governor Chafee has indicated he would sign a same-sex marriage bill.

“We’re absolutely coming back with a marriage bill this year,” Marriage Equality Rhode Island (MERI) executive director Ray Sullivan told reporters yesterday. “A lot of politicians would prefer that we just go away and not continue to push this issue, but we will not go away until we see the Governor sign this bill into law.”

Sullivan adds that “The majority of Rhode islanders are on our side on this issue,” reports GoLocalProv.

[greenforest32]

The 2011 civil union bill in Rhode Island was a total underachievement.

I get the same impression from Colorado's 2011/2012 civil union bill but I suppose they have to work incrementally considering the state constitution bans gay marriage.

[I Can't Get That Sound You Make, Out Of My Head]

Why didn't it exist in the first place?

[Pacific Councillor Big Wiggly Style]

[greenforest32]

I think the next four states to pass it legislatively will be: Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, and Rhode Island.

These four lack an existing state constitutional ban, have majority (in fact I think supermajority in all save IL) Democratic state legislatures, and have Governors in support.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-gay-marriage-illinois-20120511,0,6442168.story

Quinn makes it clear he supports same-sex marriage in Illinois

May 11, 2012

A day after President Barack Obama endorsed equal marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples, Gov. Pat Quinn made it clear that he stands with the president on the politically divisive issue of marriage equality.

The governor signed a bill legalizing civil unions in Illinois last year but has long been vague about whether he supports same-sex marriage. On Thursday, a Quinn spokeswoman left no room for equivocation, expressing the governor's strongest stance on the issue since he ascended to the state's top office in 2009.

"Gov. Quinn joins with President Obama in supporting marriage equality and looks forward to working on this issue in the future with the General Assembly," Quinn spokeswoman Mica Matsoff said.

Also Minnesota is likely too if the 2012 constitutional ban fails.

[Pacific Councillor Big Wiggly Style]

What other states are gonna have similar resolutions on the ballot either in November or in the coming years?

[greenforest32]

What other states are gonna have similar resolutions on the ballot either in November or in the coming years?

I think future measures will be:

Legalization measures - Oregon and Colorado. Maybe in Nevada, California, and New Jersey as well depending on how their court cases play out.

State constitutional bans - Wyoming, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. Republicans pushed these state constitutional bans to drive up the evangelical vote and to ensure that state supreme courts cannot overturn statutory bans and legalize it like Iowa.

After those I'm not really sure. Something in New Mexico maybe?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_States#State_law

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

California should just have its own category of California.
Let's see. Domestic partnerships, plus 18,000 gay marriages from June until November 2008 before gay marriage was banned, and then struck down, with that ruling stayed by the same court, and appealed.

There is a Proposition in the signature gathering stage to overturn Prop. 8, but I haven't heard anything about it, and they'd have to turn in 800,000 or so signatures by Monday, so I don't think it's happening.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I think the next four states to pass it legislatively will be: Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, and Rhode Island.

These four lack an existing state constitutional ban, have majority (in fact I think supermajority in all save IL) Democratic state legislatures, and have Governors in support.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-gay-marriage-illinois-20120511,0,6442168.story

Quinn makes it clear he supports same-sex marriage in Illinois

May 11, 2012

A day after President Barack Obama endorsed equal marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples, Gov. Pat Quinn made it clear that he stands with the president on the politically divisive issue of marriage equality.

The governor signed a bill legalizing civil unions in Illinois last year but has long been vague about whether he supports same-sex marriage. On Thursday, a Quinn spokeswoman left no room for equivocation, expressing the governor's strongest stance on the issue since he ascended to the state's top office in 2009.

"Gov. Quinn joins with President Obama in supporting marriage equality and looks forward to working on this issue in the future with the General Assembly," Quinn spokeswoman Mica Matsoff said.

Also Minnesota is likely too if the 2012 constitutional ban fails.

Hawaii and Rhode Island legalized civil unions last year, which was rather underwhelming given their lack of Republicans, to say the least. Were I in one of those state legislatures, I would have voted nay because of how lame it was.

[greenforest32]

I think the next four states to pass it legislatively will be: Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, and Rhode Island.

These four lack an existing state constitutional ban, have majority (in fact I think supermajority in all save IL) Democratic state legislatures, and have Governors in support.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-gay-marriage-illinois-20120511,0,6442168.story

Quinn makes it clear he supports same-sex marriage in Illinois

May 11, 2012

A day after President Barack Obama endorsed equal marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples, Gov. Pat Quinn made it clear that he stands with the president on the politically divisive issue of marriage equality.

The governor signed a bill legalizing civil unions in Illinois last year but has long been vague about whether he supports same-sex marriage. On Thursday, a Quinn spokeswoman left no room for equivocation, expressing the governor's strongest stance on the issue since he ascended to the state's top office in 2009.

"Gov. Quinn joins with President Obama in supporting marriage equality and looks forward to working on this issue in the future with the General Assembly," Quinn spokeswoman Mica Matsoff said.

Also Minnesota is likely too if the 2012 constitutional ban fails.

Hawaii and Rhode Island legalized civil unions last year, which was rather underwhelming given their lack of Republicans, to say the least. Were I in one of those state legislatures, I would have voted nay because of how lame it was.

Yeah I think those two Governors should have vetoed them for being half-way measures. I mean come on, the Hawaii State Legislature has an 86% Democratic House and a 96% Democratic Senate...

The days of civil unions are coming to an end.

[Pacific Councillor Big Wiggly Style]

Gay marriage banned in Pennsylvania
sigh

[greenforest32]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2012/05/14/gov_ri_recognizing_out_of_state_gay_marriages/

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—Rhode Island's governor on Monday declared that the state will recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere, giving gay couples the same rights as heterosexual ones when it comes to health insurance and a slew of other benefits.

The executive order signed by Gov. Lincoln Chafee in a Statehouse ceremony directs state agencies to recognize marriages performed out of state as legal and treat same-sex married couples the same as heterosexual ones.

Some gay couples married outside Rhode Island -- where civil unions are allowed, but gay marriage is illegal -- have not been afforded certain rights because state law is not clear on the subject.

In 2007, then-Attorney General Patrick Lynch issued an opinion in favor of recognizing out-of-state same-sex marriages, but it was nonbinding. Chafee said his signing of the executive order is "following through" on that opinion.

Chafee called his order an important step but said he would continue to press for Rhode Island to enact gay marriage.

"We're overdue, way overdue," he said.

Chafee said President Barack Obama's announcement last week that he now supports gay marriage is positive momentum. But he said he did not expect gay marriage to pass in Rhode Island this legislative session.

[Pacific Councillor Big Wiggly Style]

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—Rhode Island's governor on Monday declared that the state will recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere, giving gay couples the same rights as heterosexual ones when it comes to health insurance and a slew of other benefits.

The executive order signed by Gov. Lincoln Chafee in a Statehouse ceremony directs state agencies to recognize marriages performed out of state as legal and treat same-sex married couples the same as heterosexual ones.

Some gay couples married outside Rhode Island -- where civil unions are allowed, but gay marriage is illegal -- have not been afforded certain rights because state law is not clear on the subject.

In 2007, then-Attorney General Patrick Lynch issued an opinion in favor of recognizing out-of-state same-sex marriages, but it was nonbinding. Chafee said his signing of the executive order is "following through" on that opinion.

Chafee called his order an important step but said he would continue to press for Rhode Island to enact gay marriage.

"We're overdue, way overdue," he said.

Chafee said President Barack Obama's announcement last week that he now supports gay marriage is positive momentum.

But he said he did not expect gay marriage to pass in Rhode Island this legislative session.

[Governor Scott]

Don't the Dems hold supermajorities in both chambers of the legislature, or at least close to it?

[greenforest32]

Don't the Dems hold supermajorities in both chambers of the legislature, or at least close to it?

Yup, about 87% of the house and 76% of the senate:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhode_Island_House_of_Representatives
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhode_Island_Senate

Seems like it failed due to some good old moderate heroism: http://www.browndailyherald.com/gay-marriage-bills-stall-in-legislature-1.2539420#.T7MSFlKDuTY

Though gay marriage has the backing of Rhode Island's governor and its Speaker of the House, bills to legalize it have yet to be put to a vote. Opponents say the bills simply do not have enough support from state legislators.  

Hearings for gay marriage bills have taken place in both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees.

State Rep. Edith Ajello, D-Providence, chairs the committee that has considered the bill in the House. She said she is confident gay marriage will be legalized.

But votes on the bills remain "on a knife's edge," said Christopher Plante, executive director for the Rhode Island chapter of the National Organization for Marriage. He added that if House Speaker Gordon Fox, D-Providence, had enough support for the bill, he would already be calling for a vote. Fox, who is openly gay, strongly backs gay marriage.

Sen. Rhoda Perry, D-Providence, said the Senate is awaiting a House vote. "It's a very emotional issue," Perry said, adding that legislators were "all sitting on tenterhooks, waiting to see what happens."

Perry said Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed, D-Jamestown and Newport, who personally opposes gay marriage, has not officially stated whether or not she will hold a Senate floor vote on the bill.

They may not have a vote on it this year, but it's very likely to pass in 2013. Especially if the Maine referendum passes.