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RI governor signs order to recognize same-sex marriages performed out of state
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| Contributor | Homegrown Democrat |
| Last Edited | Homegrown Democrat May 14, 2012 03:45pm |
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| Category | Rule Change |
| Author | ERIKA NIEDOWSKI |
| News Date | Monday, May 14, 2012 09:20:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | 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 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. |
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