NEW: Civil Unions Hearing Today

NEW: Civil Unions Hearing Today

The House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing today on a controversial civil unions bill.

The bill would grant same-sex couples the same legal rights as straight couples, without using the word marriage. The bill is opposed by both gay marriage advocates who say it doesn’t go far enough and by social conservatives who warn that it is a stepping stone to gay marriage.

The primary sponsor of the legislation is Peter Petrarca, D-Lincoln.

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Co-sponsors include House Speaker Gordon Fox and reps J. Patrick O’Neill, D-Pawtucket, Rep. Elaine Coderre, D- Pawtucket, and Bob Watson, R- East Greenwich.

The hearing is at approximately 4:30 p.m. in Room 313 of the Statehouse.

Click here to read the bill.

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