Rhode Island lawmakers to vote on civil union bill

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/06/29/rhode.island.civil.unions/

(CNN) -- Less than a week after New York became the nation's sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage, Rhode Island lawmakers are poised to vote on a bill that would permit civil unions between gay and lesbian couples.

The state's Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to meet over the measure on Wednesday. If passed, the bill could come up for a general Senate vote as early as Wednesday afternoon, according to the body's spokesman, Greg Pare.

The legislation, which passed overwhelmingly in the state's lower house May 19, would afford same-sex couples many of the same rights and benefits as their married counterparts.

Gov. Lincoln Chaffe, an independent, is expected to sign the bill into law should it pass the Democrat-controlled Senate, according to his spokesman Michael Trainor.

But the controversial measure drew sharp criticism from groups who say it would eventually lead to court-ordered action that would legalize same-sex marriage.