Same-Sex Divorce (H 7939, S 2713)

Despite efforts by the ACLU and Marriage Equality R.I., no action was taken on Affiliate legislation specifying that the Family Court has jurisdiction to grant divorces to validly-married same-sex couples. The legislation was a direct response to a R.I. Supreme Court decision in December denying a divorce to a same-sex couple who had been lawfully married in Massachusetts. The bill had a very favorable hearing on the House side, but the Senate wanted nothing to do with gay rights legislation this year and didn’t even hold a hearing on the measure.