Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee (Independent) has signed a bill recognizing the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian couples. The Ocean State will join nine other states and the nation’s capital with marriage equality

The State Senate has approved marriage equality legislation by at 26-12 vote. The legislation will soon go to Governor Lincoln Chaffee, who has promised to sign it into law.

Anti-gay comments overshadow the Superbowl, but they can't stop progress in Arizona, Hawaii, and Rhode Island. We have new legislation and strong polling to carry marriage forward from coast to coast. Plus, amicus briefs in the Prop 8 case.

In this week's episode of Marriage News Watch: A vote on marriage in Rhode Island and hearings on civil unions in Colorado. Plus, support from an unexpected source in an unexpected state and more.

In this week's episode of Marriage News Watch: big news coming this week from Rhode Island, where we may see the year's first hearing on marriage equality. Plus more news from, Illinois,Colorado, Hawaii and Nevada.

Marriage equality bills were introduced in the Rhode Island Senate and the House on January 3, 2013. After an unexpected defeat in 2011, a marriage equality bill is poised for passage this year.

Here's a quick year-in-review to get you caught up with the progress we made in 2012, and where we're going to focus in 2013.

In this week's update: A leaked memo urges an about-face for anti-equality Republicans. A civil unions bill dies in Colorado, for now. But access to marriage expands in Rhode Island, and more new surveys confirm the ever-growing public support for equality