“If the General Assembly believes it would like to address the issue of domestic partnerships, it should place the issue on the ballot and let the people of the State of Rhode Island decide,” he wrote.

He took issue with the definition of a domestic partner as “a person who, prior to the decedent’s death, was in an exclusive, intimate and committed relationship with the decedent” for at least a year, saying a year “is not a sufficient duration to establish a serious bond between two individuals ... [relative to] issues regarding funeral arrangements, burial rights and disposal of human remains.”

He also questioned “how it would be ascertained in many circumstances whether [a couple] had been in a relationship for year” since there is “no official or recognized form” of domestic partnership agreement in Rhode Island. 


     As far as I know, there are no laws requiring married heterosexual couples to wait a year before being eligible to make funeral arrangements for their spouse.  A year isn't a long time, but heterosexual couples married less than a year are able to make such arrangements, why not same-sex couples?  Of course, same-sex couples don't have the same legal recognition of their relationships, but that isn't their fault.  Leaders in the General Assembly won't allow a same-sex marriage bill to come to a vote, and many of our reps and senators are too gutless to put House Speaker William Murphy and Senate President Theresa Paiva Weed on the spot. 

     I would like to see Rhode Islanders have the opportunity to vote on same-sex marriage.  Some would argue that the legislature is the best way to address the issue, not by placing the question on the ballot.  I'm inclined to agree, but with so many gutless, closed- minded legislators, a question that allows them to pass the decision on to Rhode Islanders might be the best chance of legalizing same-sex marriage.  It's not the perfect solution, but it is probably the best one.