R.I. House passes same-sex marriage bill

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Jan. 24 (UPI) -- The Rhode Island House of Representatives Thursday voted to approve a bill legalizing same-sex marriage.

The House voted 51-19 in favor of the bill, which removes gender-specific language from existing law to define marriage as the "legally recognized union of two (2) people," The Providence Journal reported.

Announcement of the final vote prompted a standing ovation by House members, the newspaper said, but the bill's future in the state Senate was unclear.

Even though House Speaker Gordon Fox was a lead co-sponsor and 42 of the body's 75 members signed on as co-sponsors, the newspaper said it may be weeks, or even months, before the bill even gets a hearing in the Senate.