Key Votes
H 5015 - Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage - Key Vote
Rhode Island Key Votes
Thomas Winfield voted Nay (Passage) on this legislation.
Read recent statements Thomas Winfield made in this general time period.
Stages
Family
Issues
Stage Details
Legislation - Referred to Committee (Senate) - Jan. 30, 2013
Title: Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage
Legislation - Bill Passed (House) (51-19) - Jan. 24, 2013 (Key vote)
Title: Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage
Vote to pass a bill that authorizes same-sex marriage, effective immediately.
- Defines “marriage” as the legally recognized union of 2 individuals (Sec. 2).
- Requires terms in state law relating to marriage to be gender-neutral (Sec. 1).
- Authorizes couples in legal unions, which were validly entered in another state or jurisdiction and which provide the same rights, benefits, and responsibilities as marriage, to obtain a valid marriage license in Rhode Island (Sec. 2).
- Prohibits licensed or ordained officials of any church or religious denomination from being required to solemnize any marriage (Sec. 4).
- Specifies that licensed or ordained officials of any church or religious denomination are immune from any lawsuit and may not be found liable based on a refusal to solemnize any marriage (Sec. 4).
- Specifies that any civil union between 2 individuals which has not been dissolved, annulled, or merged into marriage by January 1, 2014, will automatically be merged into a marriage on that date (Sec. 5).
- Repeals previous laws relating to civil unions (Sec. 6).
NOTE: THIS IS A SUBSTITUTE BILL, MEANING THE LANGUAGE OF THE ORIGINAL BILL HAS BEEN REPLACED. THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE SUBSTITUTE BILL TEXT DIFFERS FROM THE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE TEXT CAN VARY GREATLY.
Legislation - Introduced (House) - Jan. 3, 2013
Title: Authorizes Same-Sex Marriage
