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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Angela Dallara
Communications Associate, Freedom to Marry
angela@freedomtomarry.org
646-430-3925

RI Becomes Tenth State Where Same-Sex Couples Can Marry

Today, Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee signed freedom to marry legislation into law following House and Senate approval, making Rhode Island the tenth state in the U.S. where same-sex couples can receive marriage licenses. With Chafee's signature, all six New England states now have the freedom to marry.

Marc Solomon, national campaign director of Freedom to Marry, issued the following statement:

PROVIDENCE

Today, Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee signed freedom to marry legislation into law following House and Senate approval, making Rhode Island the tenth state in the U.S. where same-sex couples can receive marriage licenses. With Chafee's signature, all six New England states now have the freedom to marry.

Marc Solomon, national campaign director of Freedom to Marry, issued the following statement:

"Today Rhode Island -- and now all of New England -- has embraced the freedom to marry and lived up to our American promise of liberty and justice for all. That the entire Rhode Island Senate GOP caucus joined with a vast majority of Democratic lawmakers to live up to the state's values in voting for marriage will inspire more momentum in more states. It is time now for the Supreme Court to uphold these American values for all loving and committed couples."

Freedom to Marry served as a lead partner in Rhode Islanders United for Marriage and helped pave the way for a victory by providing strategic guidance and counsel on all aspects of the legislative campaign, in addition to managing the campaign's digital strategy. Freedom to Marry was the lead funder of the campaign, providing more than $250,000 to the effort in 2013.

Freedom to Marry is the gay and non-gay partnership working to win marriage equality nationwide. Headed by Evan Wolfson, one of America's leading civil rights advocates and lawyers, Freedom to Marry brings new resources and a renewed context of urgency and opportunity to this social justice movement.