Rhode Island is now only a few small procedural steps away from becoming the 10th state in the nation to allow gays and lesbians to walk down the aisle. The Associated Press with the details:
The gay marriage legislation easily passed the Rhode Island House in January, and the Senate vote was seen as the true test. The bill passed 26-12, and now returns to the House for a largely procedural vote, likely next week, before going to Gov. Lincoln Chafee, who supports the legislation.
Once it becomes official, same-sex marriage will be legal in all six states that make up New England. (The largest holdup for gay rights advocates had been the Ocean State’s large and vocal Catholic population.) In addition to Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, same-sex couples are also allowed to marry in Iowa, Maryland, New York, and Washington state, along with the District of Columbia.