The following is a statement From Marriage Equality RI on the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention:

Today legislators in Massachusetts, under the leadership Governor Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray, and House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, courageously stood up against fear, bias, and discrimination. We applaud the 155 members of the Massachusetts {legislature} who stood up against bias, defeating the amendment by a greater margin than expected. Marriage Equality Rhode Island was pleased to see the Massachusetts legislators vote against sending the civil rights of same sex couples to a popular vote. Massachusetts, always a beacon of progress and equality, has NEVER written discrimination into its Constitution. With hundreds of Rhode Island couples already married in Massachusetts, and hundreds more planning their weddings, this vote has particular significance for all Rhode Islanders. We commend our colleagues at MassEquality for this hard-won fight, and will continue to work for equal marriage here in Rhode Island. We look forward to following the standard set by our sister state, and urge the Rhode Island legislature to support the right of all Rhode Island couples to marry in their home state.

MERI believes that a civil society guarantees to all of its citizens certain civil rights; civil marriage is one of these fundamental rights. Each and every adult in Rhode Island - regardless of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation - deserves the opportunity to attain the legal protections and safeguards gained through civil marriage.

At 1:30 am Saturday morning, the House decided hold off on voting on the bill that would have allowed the one time death benefits that are currently provided to married spouses of first responders that are killed in the line of duty to be provided to domestic partners of first responders. This bill passed the Senate unanimously TWICE, but has had its issues on the House side.

The bill was held (not voted on) because the hour was late and there were many questions about the bill, both procedural and content-related. I am very disappointed that the house didn’t pass the bill, but it is still alive and kicking. Please let your Representatives know that this bill is important to you. See below for how to contact them.

Many representatives (in no order, and not an exhaustive list– Ajello, Handy, Fox, Constantino, Almedia, Anguilla, Giannini, Rice, Williams) worked hard on this bill. Please take the time to thank them, and thank your senator as well– the Senate is extremely supportive of this bill.

We don’t know what the process or time frame will be from here, but keep your eye on these lists for more info. If you want to be contacted directly when something happens on this bill, because there is often little notice, please email me with your contact information.

You can help by calling your state Representative and asking them to ensure passage THIS YEAR of Senate Bill 1209, which would provide a one-time death benefit to the domestic partners of emergency workers killed while performing job duties. If you don’t know who your Rep. is, you can find them at:
http://www.sec.state.ri.us/elections/findyourofficials/. Since the session is officially over, it is very important that they hear from you about this bill ASAP. There are a few last min pieces of business they need to take care of and we want to make sure this is one of them.

If you would like more specific info, or are interested in more info on how you can help, please email me.

Lauren Nocera (lsnocera@YAHOO.COM)

The struggle for equal marriage rights is a feminist issue. Women will not achieve full equality until every woman can pursue her dreams free from discrimination. NOW made its support for same-sex marriage official in 1995, saying that the choice of marriage is a fundamental constitutional right under the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment that should not be denied because of a person’s sexual orientation. Join RI NOW and add your voice to the fight for equality. RI NOW works in coalition with other fabulous organizations for fairness and justice.

Download and distribute this equal marriage flyer.

Don’t miss RI PRIDE celebration on Saturday, June 18th. Join in the festivities and the fantastic night-parade. Jump in line and show your support. Visit RI PRIDE for a listing of the activities leading up to Pride celebration.

RI NOW members were among the many who filled the Statehouse for a rally to support Equal Marriage on April 12, 2005.

Read the text of the 2005 Equal Marriage bill here: http://www.marriageequalityri.org/forms/H5660.pdf

RI Senate Judiciary Committee, Bill S-217
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
38 testified, 28 supported, 10 opposed

RI House Judiciary Committee, Bill H-5660
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
65 testified, 50 supported, 15 opposed

Marriage Equality RI is a grassroots movement that seeks legal recognition of same-sex couples through civil marriage in Rhode Island. Visit their website for more information on how to get involved.

The National Organization for Women proudly salutes the introduction of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2005. Introduced in the House on Thursday, May 26, this is the first legislation to explicitly include transgender individuals in civil rights law. The bill is designed to help protect against bias crimes based on gender identity, sexual orientation, gender and disability and also adds gender and gender identity to the Hate Crimes Statistics Act. To read more…..

http://www.now.org/press/05-05/05-25-b.html

“Same-sex couples in Connecticut have gained access to important benefits that will help protect, nurture and provide for their families,” said NOW Action Vice President Olga Vives. “At the same time, the sharp tools of discrimination and exclusion were used to deny those couples justice and equality under the law.”

On Wednesday, the Connecticut legislature voted 26 to 8 to make civil unions legal for same-sex couples. Civil unions carry the rights and privileges of marriage at the state level, but not at the federal level. “This is simply a down payment in the struggle for full marriage equality,” said Vives. “Only full marriage equality will give all Connecticut families the respect, dignity and security they need and deserve. Equally important, they deserve to have the same rights, responsibilities and benefits that heterosexual married couples rely on for the health and safety of their families.”

The law, already signed by Gov. M. Jodi Rell and taking effect Oct. 1, includes a discriminatory amendment that defines marriage as being between a man and a woman.

“NOW is committed to ending the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage because all people and their families deserve the full range of benefits that only marriage can provide,” said Vives. “We will continue to support the many activists in Connecticut, including Connecticut NOW and Love Makes a Family, who are leading the way in moving this national civil rights conversation in the direction of full marriage equality. Together, we will move the country toward fairness and justice for all.”

Marriage Equality Rhode Island announces that the House Judiciary
Committee has postponed the hearing on our bill for Equal Marriage.

We have been assured by Rep. Art Handy, our bill sponsor, that we will
indeed get a hearing on our bill, but scheduling issues forced the
postponement.

The Rally for Equal Marriage will go ahead as planned - so please come
to the State House tomorrow!!

The rally will begin at 5:00 pm (if you can be there from the beginning,
you might aim for 4:30, to get through security). We will continue
rallying for at least an hour, so join us later if you can do that!

There is a hearing on an issue key to the LGBT community, that will be
posted about separately.

COME RAISE YOUR VOICE AND RALLY FOR EQUAL MARRIAGE TOMORROW!

Just a quick reminder to supporters of civil marriage access for
same-sex couples that next Tuesday, April 12th is the rally and House
hearing. Don’t forget to work on your testimony this weekend - feel
free to email me if you have any questions or need some help getting
started, I’ll be working on mine as well.

One tip - we’re trying not to say “same-sex marriage” - it makes it
sound like we’re pushing for something different from “regular
marriage”. We’re looking for Equal Marriage for ALL Rhode Island
couples.

We’re trying to collect copies of written testimony, so please send a
copy to info@marriageequalityri.org.

And please give your legislators a call on Monday and ask them to come
to the rally on Tuesday - 5 pm at the State House rotunda. If you
don’t know how to reach your legislator, you can search online again;
the link is:

http://www.sec.state.ri.us/elections/findyourofficials/

We need your help getting the word out to the many people who aren’t
on this email list. Bring your friends, parents, children,
co-workers, and neighbors along!

And welcome to our many new members this week! If you need more
information about anything, drop me a line or visit our website at
www.MarriageEqualityRI.org.