Rhode Island Sees Marriage Equality Legislation

by Michael Jones · 2011-01-06 06:57:00 UTC
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Meet Rep. Arthur Handy, a Democrat from Cranston, Rhode Island. Why is his name important? Because today he's set to introduce legislation in Rhode Island, along with 27 other co-sponsors, that would guarantee marriage equality for all same-sex couples in the state. And newly-minted Governor Lincoln Chafee has promised to sign the law, if it reaches his desk.

In fact, Gov. Chafee is so stoked about the idea of gay marriage, he even used part of his inauguration address to hype up the fact that Rhode Island should move in the direction of equality.

"When marriage equality is the law in Rhode Island, we honor our forefathers who risked their lives and fortune in the pursuit of human equality," Gov. Chafee said taking the oath of office. "Rhode Island today must be as welcoming to all as [founder] Roger Williams intended it to be."

Gov. Chafee didn't stop there. He then went on to say that enacting marriage equality, as well as repealing anti-immigration policies, would help the state recover from its economic woes.

"These two actions will do more for economic growth in our state than any economic development loan," Gov. Chafee concluded.

And now the vehicle to get to Gov. Chafee's vision is there, in the form of Rep. Handy's bill.

The bill proposed by Rep. Handy would add some powerful language to state law in Rhode Island.

"Any person who otherwise meets the eligibility requirements [in law] may marry any other eligible person regardless of gender,” the bill reads. Legalese, perhaps, but some meaningful words if passed into law. It would allow Rhode Island to join Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, and the District of Columbia as locales that recognize the dignity and validity of same-sex relationships.

Want to send Rhode Island legislators a message that now's the time for the state to join the marriage equality club? Do so here. The other side, including the Catholic Church in Rhode Island and the National Organization for Marriage, is not letting up in their fight to stop legislation like Rep. Handy's from moving forward. All the more reason LGBT activists and straight allies need to be on top of their game in the Ocean State, so that 2011 can start off with a major victory for equality.

Photo credit: taberandrew

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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