Same-Sex Couples In Rhode Island Can Get Married Today

This morning local officials began to issue the first marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

1. At the stroke of midnight on Thursday, Rhode Island and Minnesota became the 12th and 13th U.S. states to allow same-sex marriage.

Jessica Rinaldi / Reuters

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2. Rhode Island is the last New England state to allow same-sex marriage.

Charles Krupa / AP

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3. Gov. Lincoln Chafee signed the marriage equality bill into law on May 2, 2013.

Charles Krupa / AP

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4. Officials in Rhode Island began issuing licenses when offices opened at 8:30 a.m. this morning.

STEVEN SENNE / AP

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5. Among the first to arrive for licenses were John Gacher and Federico Santi of Newport , R.I.. They have been together for over 41 years.

Steven Senne / AP

The couple had a simple ceremony, as they told the AP, “After living together for 41 years, we don’t have anything to prove . It’s like going down and getting a driver’s license.”

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