Another State Recognizes Out-of-State Same-Sex Marriages

The Governor of Rhode Island, Lincoln Chafee, signed an executive order that stated that Rhode Island will recognize same-sex marriages given in other states. This executive order gave effect to an opinion given by the 2007 Attorney General Patrick Lynch. Attorney General Lynch argued that while the State of Rhode Island had not sanctioned same-sex marriage, it did not mean that the state could not recognize marriages performed in other states that do allow same-sex marriage. 

The executive order itself will ensure that same-sex couples will have all of the same rights that heterosexual couples enjoy in Rhode Island. For example, if a spouse owns health care through their employer, then the employee will be able to put their partner on their health care as their spouse regardless of whether the couple is a same-sex or heterosexual couple. With the signing of the executive order, Rhode Island joins only a few states that recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages. 

See Associated Press, Gov.: RI Recognizing Out-of-State Gay Marriages, Fox News, May 14, 2012.