CHAPTER 15-28
CIVIL UNIONS

(2) "Spouse in a civil union" or "spouse joined in a civil union" means a person who has established a civil union pursuant to this chapter and Rhode Island general laws chapter 15-1.

(3) "Certificate of civil union" means a document that certifies that the persons named on the certificate have complied with the laws of the state of Rhode Island to establish a civil union in compliance with this chapter.

(1) Not be within the degree of consanguinity defined for a man or woman.

(b) Not be in a civil union or marriage with any other living person.

(c) Not be under eighteen (18) years of age.

(a) A civil union provides those joined in it with a legal status equivalent to marriage and shall be treated under law, whether defined by statute, adminsitrative or court rule, policy, common law or any other source of civil law, as a marriage. All laws of the state of Rhode Island, whether they derive from statute, administrative or court rule, policy, common law or any other source of civil law, applicable to marriage shall also be applicable to civil unions.

(b) Spouses joined in a civil union shall have all the same benefits, protections and responsibilities under law, whether they derive from statute, administrative or court rule, policy, common law or any other source of civil law, as are granted to spouses in a marriage.

(c) Spouses joined in a civil union shall be included in any definition or use of the terms "spouse," "family," "immediate family," "dependent," "next of kin," "husband," "wife," and other terms that denote the spousal relationship, as those terms are used throughout the law.

(d) The term "marriage" as it is used throughout the law, whether in statutes, administrative or court rule, policy, common law or any other source of civil law, including without limitation shall be read, interpreted, and understood to include marriage and civil union.

(e) Spouses joined in a civil union shall be responsible for the support of one another to the same degree and in the same manner as prescribed under law for married persons.

(f) The law of domestic relations, including annulment, separation and divorce, child custody and support, and property division and maintenance shall apply to parties to a civil union.

(g) The following is a nonexclusive list of legal benefits, protections and responsibilities of spouses in a marriage, which shall apply in like manner to parties to a civil union:

(1) Laws relating to title, tenure, descent and distribution, in estate succession, or transfer of real or personal property;

(2) Causes of action related to or dependent upon spousal status, including actions for wrongful death, emotional distress, loss of consortium or other torts or actions under contracts, related to, or dependent upon spousal status;

(3) Probate and family law and procedure;

(4) Group insurance for state and municipal employees;

(5) Veteran benefits as provided in chapter 30-1;

(6) Workers' compensation as provided in chapter 28-1;

(7) Assignment of wages as provided in chapter 15-5;

(8) Descent and distribution of real and personal property as provided in chapter 33-1;

(9) Divorce procedures as provided in chapter 15-5;

15-28-6. Construction. - - (a) This chapter shall be construed liberally in order to secure to eligible couples the option of a legal status with all the attributes and effects, and benefits and protections of civil marriage. Spouses joined in civil union shall have all of the same benefits, protections and responsibilities under state law, whether derived from statute, administrative or court rule, policy, common law or any other source of civil law, as are granted to spouses in marriage.

(b) This chapter is intended to extend to spouses in a civil union the benefits, protections and responsibilities that flow from marriage.