I am sure that AJ may have more news on this.


By RAY HENRY The Associated Press

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June 29, 2009 - 12:00 am



Rhode Island seems almost certain to remain the only New England state that does not recognize same-sex marriage after measures legalizing same-sex unions stalled just before the part-time General Assembly ended the bulk of its annual work.

None of the bills legalizing same-sex marriage in Rhode Island advanced to a floor vote this session, continuing a trend begun in 1997.

The lack of statehouse action on same-sex unions means that Rhode Island is unlikely to allow same-sex marriage anytime soon, despite decisions this year by lawmakers in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont joined Connecticut and Massachusetts in legalizing same-sex marriage.

"I was hoping the momentum that was going around New England and the support we had in the House would get enough representatives to ask for it," said Rhode Island state Rep. Frank Ferri, a Democrat from Warwick who is gay and sponsored same-sex marriage legislation. He and his partner wed in Canada.

Equally disappointed were opponents of same-sex marriage, who wanted voters to be able to decide whether the state constitution should be changed to ban same-sex marriage.

"I think that if you put it to the voters on a statewide basis, gay marriage would fail," said state Rep. Jon Brien, a Democrat from Woonsocket.

A poll released by Brown University last month showed that 60 percent of registered Rhode Island voters would support a law allowing same-sex couples to marry and that 75 percent would support a law allowing civil unions. Rhode Island is the most heavily Roman Catholic state in the country. Catholic leaders are deeply opposed to same-sex unions, and several key state officeholders are Catholic.

Murphy and Paiva-Weed, both Democrats and Catholics, oppose same-sex marriage, while Republican Gov. Don Carcieri, also a Catholic, would be nearly certain to veto gay marriage legislation should it arrive on his desk.

State lawmakers normally end their session at the end of June. But after a marathon week of late-night deal making, House Speaker William Murphy, a Democrat from West Warwick, decided that House lawmakers will return for at least one day in July and perhaps in the fall to address remaining bills and monitor the state's bleak finances. The state Senate planned to meet this week, although an exact day was not immediately set.

A bill that would allow gay men and women to make funeral arrangements for their late partners is pending.

Ferri views that funeral planning bill as a small step forward.

"It's a recognition of our relationships," Ferri said. "It's a recognition that we do need protection."