Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

By Katherine Gregg
Journal State House bureau

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - With a high-profile bill to allow same-sex couples, married elsewhere, to divorce in Rhode Island scheduled for a hearing Wednesday, the Rhode Island chapter of the National Organization for Marriage has called a State House press conference for 9:45 a.m. Wednesday to announce the "launch of its latest media campaign to protect marriage and the religious liberties of Rhode Island's families."

Governor Carcieri's office has confirmed that the governor will participate in the press conference.

"The governor believes that the decision to legalize gay marriage should be left up to the people," said his spokeswoman, Amy Kempe. "Any initiative should be put on the ballot, not decided by legislative action."

The House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing Wednesday on the bill that would allow same-sex couples to divorce here in Rhode Island.

The legislation is an outgrowth of a 2007 decision in which the Rhode Island Supreme Court, in a case involving two Providence women married in Massachusetts, ruled that when the General Assembly created the Family Court in 1961, it did not intend divorce to extend to same-sex couples.

House Majority Leader Gordon Fox put in a bill to allow such splits in 2008. But it went nowhere.

Meanwhile, Vermont has become the fourth state to legalize gay marriage -- and the first to do so with a legislature's vote.

-- With Associated Press reports

Your Turn: Should same sex couples be allowed to marry in Rhode Island?

 Tags  Gov. Carcieri same-sex marriage

Comments

Ty said:

I cannot believe with the trouble Rhode Island is having during this economic recession that leaders in this state would choose to participate in more actions that would deter people from seeing Rhode Island as a destination, a place to relocate and live or even as a more progressive state in standing up for it's residents.

This rally is one more way that Rhode Island is damning itself.

Link | April 8, 2009 8:50 AM
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Lance said:

Mr Carcieri should check todays Projo poll
should gays have equal civil rights ?
Yes 55% No 45%

Link | April 8, 2009 9:21 AM
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Keori said:

Such a shame. The Rhode Island colony was where religious dissenters and supporters of freedom went after they had been jailed, tortured, or banished by illiterate Puritan fundamentalists. Rhode Island was founded on a principle of separation of church and state. How sad that the governor refuses to uphold Rhode Island's tradition of religious freedom.

Link | April 8, 2009 7:54 PM
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