Providence Journal photo / Kathy Borchers
Governor Chafee signs same-sex marriage in Rhode Island into law Thursday on the steps of the State House.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- With hundreds looking on, Governor Chafee signed two bills Thursday that make Rhode Island the 10th state to legalize same-sex marriage.
AP Photo / Charles Krupa
The signing, at 6:50 p.m., drew cheers from hundreds who gathered at the south side of the State House, the location for Chafee's 2011 inaugural address, in which he made clear his desire to see Rhode Island join the states that have made same-sex marriage a reality.
Chafee added his signature to the bills shortly after the House passed them on 56 to 15 votes.
The bills allow same-sex weddings as of August 1 and also allow couples who joined in civil unions to change their status to married.
This was the program for the "Marriage Equality of RI Bill Signing Ceremony" Only 1,000 copies #SSM twitter.com/kathyprojo/sta...
— katherine gregg (@kathyprojo) May 2, 2013
Read Governor Chafee's prepared remarks for signing of Marriage Equality Act