53 Legislators Co-Sponsor Marriage Equality Bills

Rep. Art Handy and Senator Donna Nesselbush introduced bills today that would legalize marriage equality in Rhode Island.

53 of Rhode Island’s 113 legislators co-sponsored the bills; 42 from the 75 member House and 11 from the 38-member Senate. Sen. Chris Ottiano is the only Republican to co-sponsor the legislation in either chamber. Others, such as Sen. Dawson Hodgson, have said they would support the bill if asked to vote on it, but did not sign on as a co-sponsor.

Here’s a list of the legislators in both chambers who are co-sponsoring the bills…

In the House:

• Rep. Arthur Handy (D-Dist. 18, Cranston)
• House Speaker Gordon D. Fox (D-Dist. 4, Providence)
• Rep. Grace Diaz (D-Dist. 11, Providence)
• Rep. Elaine A. Coderre (D-Dist. 60, Pawtucket)
• House Majority Leader Nicholas Mattiello (D-Dist. 15, Cranston)
• Rep. Edith H. Ajello (D-Dist. 1, Providence)
• Rep. Frank G. Ferri (D-Dist. 22, Warwick)
• Rep. J. Patrick O’Neill (D-Dist. 59, Pawtucket)
• Rep. Deborah Ruggiero (D-Dist. 74, Jamestown, Middletown)
• Rep. Anastasia P. Williams (D-Dist. 9, Providence)
• Rep. Larry Valencia (D-Dist. 39, Richmond, Exeter, Hopkinton)
• Rep. Thomas Palangio (D-Dist. 3, Providence)
• Rep. Teresa Tanzi (D-Dist. 34, South Kingstown, Narragansett)
• Rep. Eileen S. Naughton (Dist. 21, Warwick)
• Rep. David A. Bennett (D-Dist. 20, Warwick, Cranston)
• Rep. Karen MacBeth (D-Dist. 52, Cumberland)
• Rep. John G. Edwards (D-Dist. 70, Tiverton, Portsmouth)
• Rep. William O’Brien (D-Dist. 54, North Providence)
• Rep. Marvin L. Abney (D-Dist. 73, Newport, Middletown)
• Rep. Christopher R. Blazejewski (D-Dist. 2, Providence)
• Rep. Lisa P. Tomasso (D-Dist. 29, Coventry, West Greenwich)
• Rep. Agostinho F. Silva (D-Dist. 56, Central Falls)
• Rep. Donna M. Walsh (D-Dist. 36, Charlestown, New Shoreham, South Kingstown, Westerly)
• Rep. Katherine Kazarian (D-Dist. 63, East Providence)
• Rep. Mia Ackerman (D-Dist. 45, Cumberland, Lincoln)
• Rep. Linda Finn (D-Dist. 72, Middletown, Portsmouth)
• Rep. Cale P. Keable (D-Dist. 47, Burrillville, Glocester)
• Rep. Gregg M. Amore (D-Dist. 65, East Providence)
• Rep. Scott A. Slater (D-Dist. 10, Providence)
• Rep. Dennis M. Canario (D-Dist. 71, Little Compton, Portsmouth, Tiverton)
• Rep. Peter F. Martin (D-Dist. 75, Newport)
• Rep. Scott J. Guthrie (D-Dist. 28, Coventry)
• Rep. Joy Hearn (D-Dist. 66, Barrington, East Providence)
• Rep. Jeremiah T. O’Grady (D-Dist. 46, Lincoln, Pawtucket)
• Rep. Maria E. Cimini (D-Dist. 7, Providence)
• Rep. Kenneth A. Marshall (D-Dist. 68, Bristol, Warren)
• Rep. Robert E. Craven Sr. (D-Dist. 32, North Kingstown)
• Rep. Donald J. Lally Jr. (D-Dist. 33, South Kingstown, Narragansett)
• Rep. Joseph S. Almeida (D-Dist. 12, Providence
• Rep. Mary Duffy Messier (D-Dist. 62, Pawtucket)
• Rep. K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick)
• Rep. William San Bento Jr. (D-Dist. 58, Pawtucket)

And in the Senate:

• Sen. Donna M. Nesselbush (D-Dist. 15, Pawtucket)
• Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski (D-Dist. 37, South Kingstown, New Shoreham)
• Sen. Joshua Miller (D-Dist. 28, Cranston, Providence)
• Sen. Juan M. Pichardo (D-Dist. 2, Providence)
• Sen. Christopher Scott Ottiano (R-Dist. 11, Portsmouth, Bristol)
• Sen. Erin P. Lynch (D-Dist. 31, Warwick)
• Sen. Gayle Goldin (D-Dist. 3, Providence)
• Sen. Catherine Cool Rumsey (D-Dist. 34, Exeter, Charlestown, Hopkinton, Richmond, West Greenwich)
• Sen. Adam J. Satchell (D-Dist. 9, West Warwick)
• Sen. Ryan W. Pearson (D-Dist. 19, Cumberland, Lincoln)
• Sen. Stephen R. Archambault (D-Dist. 22, Smithfield, Johnston, North Providence)