g********d
发帖数: 4174 | 1 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.
The executive order is expected to have many real-world implications. Same-
sex spouses of state employees and anyone covered by an insurance company
regulated in Rhode Island will be entitled to health and life insurance
benefits, gay rights advocates say.
Both partners in a same-sex couple will be able to list their names as
parents on a child's birth certificate, and same-sex couples will be
entitled to sales tax exemptions on the transfer of property including
vehicles.
One couple who attended the signing ceremony – married in neighboring
Massachusetts – described their disappointment of not being able to list
both their names on their son's birth certificate.
"For our next child, we won't have to go through the same kind of turmoil,"
Martha Holt Castle said.
Ray Sullivan, executive director of the group Marriage Equality Rhode Island
, which supports gay marriage, called the executive order "significant" and
"bold."
"It's important because all families deserve equal protection and
recognition under the law," he said. "Gov. Chafee, by doing this today, is
affirming that idea."
Sullivan said that because there hasn't been clarity on whether the state
recognizes gay marriages performed elsewhere, some state agencies "haven't
done the right thing."
Chafee called his order an important step but said he would continue to
press for Rhode Island to enact gay marriage.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/14/ri-gay-marriage-lincol | g********d
发帖数: 4174 | 2 动机应该是州长能做多少做多少，incremental changes,最后实现MARRIAGE，无他。今
年RI有戏,阻力原来其实是在STATE SENATE的民主党LEADERS，现在民主党的方向明确，
他们不会太死硬反对吧？ | g********d
发帖数: 4174 | | g********d
发帖数: 4174 | 4 难以置信:
RI Senate:
Democratic 29, Republican 8, Independent 1. | w****b
发帖数: 777 | 5
其实该走的还是会走，RI的各种税比隔壁MA高一大截
即使工作在RI，住在MA完全没有障碍 |
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