Rhode Island Considering Marriage Equality

May 18, 2005

PROVIDENCE — The Rhode Island legislature is considering bills with competing purposes. One would grant marriage equality to same-sex couples and the other would deny it.

In this corner a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage and in the other corner one that would bar gay marriage.

That was the scene Tuesday at the Rhode Island legislature. The Senate Judiciary Committee began looking at legislation that would prohibit same-sex marriage and prevent the state or any of its agencies from recognizing such unions performed in other states.

Meanwhile, tomorrow in the House Judiciary Committee a bill to legalize same-sex marriage will getting its first airing.

The Senate committee was packed as people lined up to speak for and against the measure. Many of those same people will return Wednesday for the House committee.

Gay marriage bills have died in legislative committees for years, often without hearings.

House Speaker William Murphy, and Senate President Joseph Montalbano, both Democrats, and Gov. Don Carcieri, a Republican, all oppose gay marriage.

Rhode Island began taking up the issue of same-sex marriage on the same day as gay couples in Massachusetts were celebrating the first anniversary of legalized same-sex marriage in that state.

Connecticut recently approved marriage-like civil unions, but barred same-sex couples from marrying.