The vote was 26-12. The House previously voted for the bill but needs to vote again on minor changes made by the Senate before the bill will be signed by the governor.
The Rhode Island Senate approved a marriage equality bill 26-12 on Wednesday afternoon, after a spirited if lop-sided debate.
The bill was approved by the House in January, but slight changes in the Senate bill will need to be approved by the House before being sent to Gov. Lincoln Chafee, who supports the bill.
Sen. Donna Nesselbush, the chamber's sole out member, introduced the debate on the bill, saying it would impact her more personally than any other bill and adding, with a laugh, "I even wore a dress."
Several lawmakers gave a nod and thanks to former Sen. Rhoda Perry, who had introduced the bill in several previous sessions Sen. Gayle Goldin, who now represents the district Perry had represented, said she was honored to have Perry in the chamber Wednesday.
Sen. Elizabeth Crowley, one of several undecided senators who decided to vote yes, said, "I did not decide until today how I was going to vote," concluding, "This won't change my life one bit, but it will change the lives of so many people."
One of the few lawmakers to speak against the bill, Sen. Harold Metts, quoted from the Bible and dismissed comparisons between the civil rights movement of the 1960s and today, saying, "I can change my sexual preference tonight if I want, but I can't change my color." Later, he added, "You can laugh or ignore me if you want, but let me assure you, I did not write the Bible."
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