MERI Blog
Updates, news, action alerts and events from Marriage Equality Rhode Island.
Warwick Mayor supports marriage equality
As originally published on March 25, 2011 by Ted Nesi at WRPI.com
Gay marriage proponents in Rhode Island have gained another high-profile supporter: Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian.
During a taping of this weekend’s edition of WPRI 12′s “Newsmakers,” the Republican told Tim White and me that he believes Rhode Island should legalize same-sex marriage.
“I look at it as a question of human rights and civil rights, so I would be in favor of that,” Avedisian told us.
We tackled a wide range of topics with the longtime mayor, from his political future and his relationship with Governor Chafee to the proposed expansion of T.F. Green. The full program will be posted online today and be televised Sunday at 10 a.m. on Fox Providence.
Speaking of the Sunday morning shows, if you were planning to watch Jack Reed talk Libya on ABC you’re out of luck – he and Rand Paul got bumped by Secretaries Clinton and Gates this afternoon.
R.I. Bar Association supports same-sex marriage bill
As originally published on March 25th in the Providence Jounral
PROVIDENCE, R.I.—The Rhode Island Bar Association announced Friday that it backs a bill that would allow same-sex couples to marry.
In a statement on its website, the association says its House of Delegates voted this week to support the bill because it “affects the administration of justice” and “promotes both an accessible and effective legal system as well as equality in the courts.“
“All of these principles are important and core values to the Rhode Island Bar Association and the legal profession as a whole,“ the group said in its message.
Marriage Equality Rhode Island, in its own statement, applauded and thanked the bar association for “lending their depth of knowledge and legal expertise to such an important matter.“
“The Rhode Island Bar Association’s support of marriage equality is further proof that efforts to extend the full protections and privileges of marriage to all Rhode Islanders is a simple matter of access to justice,“ said Martha Holt, a Marriage Equality Rhode Island board member.
RI Democrat Chairman Pacheco Supports Marriage Equality Legislation
Today, the Rhode Island Democratic Party Chairman Ed Pacheco issued the following statement reiterating his support of marriage equality in the State of Rhode Island:
“I have always felt, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, that all Americans are entitled to the full protection, benefits and resources of marriage under law. More so than that, all couples who choose to enter into the union of marriage, deserve to honor their love and commitment to each other, to their families and to the communities in which they live with the full institution and benefits of marriage.
“To deny any individual the rights and privileges of marriage based on their sexual orientation is to deny them the dignity, fairness and freedom to live their lives fully and free from anxiety – anxiety that can be avoided by ensuring marriage equality in Rhode Island. Anything less is less than equal. We take great pride in the protection of freedoms in this country and it is time for Rhode Island to stand up for our neighbors, co-workers, friends, and family in the LGBT community and pass marriage equality legislation. It’s just time.”
AFL-CIO backs same-sex marriage legislation
as originally posted on Thursday, March 24, 2011 in the Providence Journal
PROVIDENCE –– The Rhode Island AFL-CIO executive board has, for the first time, voted to endorse legislation that would allow same-sex couples to marry in the state.
The announcement came the same day as Marriage Equality Rhode Island, a gay-marriage advocacy group, said that the Newport Democratic City Committee had voted recently to endorse gay-marriage legislation.
The committee represents Democrats in the hometown of Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed, a Democrat who is opposed to gay marriage. It is chaired by J. Clement “Bud” Cicilline, a former state senator and uncle of openly gay U.S. Rep. David N. Cicilline.
Rhode Island AFL-CIO President George Nee called the discussion of same-sex marriage a “fundamental civil-rights issue.”
He cited a 2004 General Accounting Office report that showed that there are 1,138 federal civil statutory rights and responsibilities associated with the word “marriage” to which Rhode Island same-sex couples are now denied.
The vote to support Senate bill S-0029 and House bill H-5012 took place at the March executive board meeting, according to a news release from the union.
Nee said about 40 members of the executive board attended the meeting and of those who voted, none voted against the statement of support for same-sex marriage.
The Rhode Island AFL-CIO serves as the umbrella organization for more than 250 local unions and represents more than 80,000 workers in the state.
Senate Judiciary Hearings - Thursday, March 10, 2011
The Senate Judiciary committee will hear the marriage equality bills on Thursday, March 10, Room 313, approximately 5p.
We ask all marriage supporters to wear RED as a show of solidarity.
You can submit your entire testimony in writing, which will be distributed to the committee members. Put the bill number on your testimony, your name, address and any additional contact information you are comfortable giving (phone, email). Bring 10 copies for the committee members. You can give your copies to the committee clerk, Robert Ricci, during the hearing or any time before or after the hearing.
SCHEDULED FOR HEARING ONLY
Senate Bill No. 0029
BY Perry, Sosnowski, Miller, Pichardo, Nesselbush
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS—PERSONS ELIGIBLE TO MARRY {LC117} (would broaden the definition of persons eligible to marry to include persons of the same gender. This act would also provide that members of the clergy would not be required to officiate at any particular marriage)
Senate Resolution No. 0115
BY Ciccone, Walaska, Bates, DiPalma, O`Neill E
ENTITLED, JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE (MARRIAGE) {LC580} (Marriage = one man + one woman; Civil Unions = same sex couples)
Senate Resolution No. 0162
BY Tassoni, Cote, Maher, Pinga
ENTITLED, JOINT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE AND PUBLISH AND SUBMIT TO THE ELECTORS A PROPOSITION OF AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE (MARRIAGE) {LC401} (Marriage = one man + one woman)
Senate Bill No. 0376
BY Hodgson
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS—DOMESTIC UNIONS {LC1413} (creates a statutory right to enter into domestic unions)
Senate Bill No. 0377
BY DiPalma, Goodwin, Ruggerio, Ottiano, O`Neill E
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS {LC318} (would authorize the establishment of reciprocal beneficiary agreements for the purpose of permitting any two (2) unmarried persons who are excluded from entering into a valid marriage under the marriage laws of this state)
As a general rule:
Oral testimony should be about one to three minutes long. The committee chair will set the time parameters for testifying. You can submit your entire testimony in writing, which will be distributed to the committee members. Put the bill number on your testimony.
Front-load your comments. Put the most important points first (you can never be sure how long you will have the legislators’ attention).
Speak as personally as you can. Reminding the committee members that the legislation impacts real lives every day is crucial.
Stay positive. Speak with generosity and assume that the world is on your side. Certainly, the most valuable and persuasive voice is your own. Speak your truth from your heart, with clarity and compassion, and you will move mountains.
SOME BASICS
Where are the hearings?
At the State House in Providence. You must enter the State House at the Smith Street (north) entrance and go through security. Allow time for this process.
The Senate Judiciary committee will meet in Room 313.
Hearings will be set at the rise. This means immediately following the full session, which starts at 4pm. Hearings usually start by 5p. If you would like a seat in the hearing room, you need to get to the State House early, no later than 3pm.
At the hearing, there will be a sign-in sheet with the bill number on it. If you are going to present testimony to the committee, you must sign-in and indicate whether you are speaking for (pro) or against (con) the legislation.
Hearings can last a long time. It isn’t unusual to be finishing up around midnight.
Where do I park?
There is metered street parking around the State House, so you will need quarters. The parking lots opposite the State House, north of Smith Street behind the Department of Health and Department of Administration buildings, usually open up after the employees leave for the day. There is also parking at Providence Place Mall, but you will need to walk up the hill to the Smith Street entrance.
Special access needs.
Enter the legislator parking lot, which is the first lot just east of the State House off Smith Street, and you will see the entrance to your right. You will go through security, then head down the hall and take the elevator to the second or third floor.
Langevin Supports Marriage Equality
Jim Langevin: Now is the time to redefine marriage in R.I.
01:00 AM EST on Saturday, March 5, 2011
By Jim Langevin
Throughout my career in public service, I have strongly opposed discrimination based on sexual orientation at both the state and federal level, co-sponsoring the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and hate crimes legislation, and supporting efforts to repeal the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
While those topics have been controversial, they never elicited the intensely passionate and emotional debate that occurred as our nation began struggling with the question of same-sex marriage. For many years, I supported civil unions as a reasonable way to achieve consensus on a divisive issue, providing rights and protections to same-sex couples while respecting the deeply held beliefs of those not comfortable with the idea of marriage rights.
Then, three years ago, I attended the commitment ceremony of a longtime staff member and his partner of nine years. Before their friends and family, they professed their love, commitment and respect for each other. Their sentiments were just as moving, heartfelt and sincere as any of the vows I had heard at other weddings, yet I realized that their union would not be treated the same under the law. That difference struck me as fundamentally unjust, and I began to challenge the wisdom of creating separate categories of rights for certain groups of citizens. I began to see that civil unions fell short of the equality I believed that same-sex couples deserved.
As the debate about same-sex marriage continues in Rhode Island and in Washington, I have taken time to reflect carefully on my own position. Based on my own experiences and my firm belief that all Americans should be treated equally under the law, I am now convinced that affording full marriage equality rights to same-sex couples is the only fair and responsible approach for both Rhode Island and the nation. If our nation expects to provide equal protection to all, then our civic institutions must reflect that noble goal.
As a U.S. representative, I take seriously my constitutional responsibility to protect the rights and liberties of our citizens. Marriage equality is consistent with that view because it safeguards basic civil rights and provides appropriate legal protections so that all loving and committed couples may care for each other. At the same time, our nation’s fundamental freedom of religion dictates that religious institutions should be allowed to define marriage as they deem appropriate. The marriage-equality legislation before the General Assembly respects the important separation of church and state by not requiring religious institutions to change any of their practices or standards relating to marriage.
The members of the General Assembly now have a historic opportunity. As a former member of that body, I understand the challenges they face, but this is a time for leadership.
During my time as a state representative, I remember talking with my father about pending legislation to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation, which was highly controversial at the time. While I greatly valued his thoughtful and balanced perspective, my father was certainly no social activist. He was just an ordinary man who had grown up through the civil-rights movement and always believed it was fundamentally unjust to treat people differently because of their race. When I told him I had decided to support the non-discrimination legislation, he expressed his pride in my decision because it showed that I viewed issues of fairness and justice as he did. And he was convinced that, in the same way racial discrimination became a shameful part of our history, one day our nation would look back in disbelief at a time when we denied our fellow citizens basic civil rights based on their sexual orientation. I now believe that day is within our reach.
As the General Assembly considers this important topic, I ask lawmakers and all Rhode Islanders to honor our state’s founding principles of tolerance and freedom and to support marriage equality in our state. It’s time to do the right thing.
Rep. Jim Langevin, a Democrat, represents Rhode Island’s Second Congressional District.
New report: ‘RI’s civil union law a bust, fiasco’
PROVIDENCE - Marriage Equality Rhode Island Campaign Director Ray Sullivan issued the following statement today after the Rhode Island ACLU released a new report outlining the dramatic shortfalls of the recently passed civil union legislation:
“This report affirms what marriage equality supporters have consistently said: Civil unions, and more specifically Rhode Island’s civil union law, amount to little more than second-class citizenship. It’s no surprise that so few gay and lesbian couples in loving, committed relationships have sought to enter into a civil union.
The overly-broad Corvese amendment, which allows religiously-affiliated hospitals, schools and other institutions to ignore the legal standing of a civil union spouse, is state-sanctioned discrimination, and repealing it will be among our top priorities in the next legislative session.
This flawed civil union legislation has only strengthened MERI’s argument of the need to pass marriage equality legislation now, and a majority of Rhode Islanders agree. All Rhode Islanders deserve equal rights, protection and recognition under the law and MERI will continue fighting to make that happen.
We commend the Rhode Island ACLU for it’s thoughtful and deliberative effort to report on this important civil rights issue,” Sullivan said.
Statement from MERI on census figures showing growth in RI same-sex households
PROVIDENCE - Marriage Equality Rhode Island Campaign Director Ray Sullivan issued the following statement today regarding a report in The Providence Journal detailing growth in same-sex households:
“No one wants to be treated like a second-class citizen, so it’s no surprise that Rhode Island ranks near the bottom of New England states where same-sex couples choose to live. The recently released US Census data reflects an important trend that elected leaders can no longer ignore.
A majority of Rhode Islanders believe that gay and lesbian couples in loving, committed relationships deserve equal rights, recognition and protection under the law. With the 2012 election just around the corner, the members of the General Assembly would do themselves well to recognize that.”
Keep Marriage Alive: Support the HANDY amendment!!!
We’re not done yet.
Thanks to the more than 400 supporters who rallied at the State House last week, legislative leaders know we’re not going away quickly or quietly. They know that we’re in this fight for the long haul, and they know we won’t accept anything less than full marriage equality.
Last Tuesday we announced that Rep. Art Handy will introduce an amendment to the civil unions legislation that would grant full marriage rights, recognition and protections to same-sex couples.
I need you to contact your legislator now and ask them to support Rep. Handy’s amendment to the civil union bill. Because separate is never equal, and gay and lesbian couples deserve the respect and protections that only marriage can provide.
There’s a lot you can do to impact this legislative session and move marriage equality forward, but it starts by contacting your representative and encouraging them to vote yes on the Handy amendment.
The civil union bill is being heard this Wednesday in the House Judiciary Committee in Room 313 at the rise (probably around 5:00). Come, raise your voice, make sure our lawmakers know that marriage matters to you and thousands of other pro-equality Rhode Islanders.
I know we’re all still angry about the way this deal was cut, behind closed-doors and without any input from the pro-equality community. But right now, it’s not enough to be angry. We all need to take action and contact our state legislators.
In solidarity,
Ray Sullivan
Campaign Director, MERI
— recently posted —
MERI lauds Gov. Chafee’s historic move to recognize RI’s same-sex marriages
posted 2 days, 17 hours, 11 minutes ago
— your neighbors —
Cassandra Ormiston of Providence supports marriage equality. Meet Cassandra and other real Rhode Islanders in our Friends & Neighbors gallery.
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event details
Location: Thursday, March 10, 2011