Statement from Governor Lincoln D. Chafee Regarding Senate Passage of the Marriage Equality Act

I am always proud to be a Rhode Islander, but never more so than today.

After yesterday’s Judiciary Committee vote, I expressed my hope that the full Rhode Island Senate would pass a bill that chooses tolerance and fairness over division and discrimination. In passing the Marriage Equality Act, they have done just that.

I thank the Senators who have taken a stand to move Rhode Island forward and commend the Senate President for calling the roll. Great credit should go to Ray Sullivan, everyone at Rhode Islanders United for Marriage, and the countless volunteers who knocked on doors and participated in phone banks. Finally, I want to applaud the pioneers, such as the late Julie Pell, who for decades have fought for the fundamental rights of gay and lesbian Rhode Islanders. This day would not have been possible without their efforts.

Pending the final vote by the House of Representatives, Rhode Island will no longer be an outlier in our region. We will have the welcome mat out. We will be open for business, and we will once again affirm our legacy as a place that is tolerant and appreciative of diversity.

Statement from Governor Lincoln D. Chafee Regarding Today’s Senate Judiciary Committee Vote on Marriage Equality

I am pleased that the Committee members have chosen to move Rhode Island forward. Marriage equality legislation has now come farther than ever before in the Rhode Island Senate.

Rhode Island currently stands as an island of inequality in our region. At this time of intense economic competition, we cannot afford to lag behind our New England neighbors and New York in this important area.

There is still work to be done. Over the next 24 hours, I encourage Rhode Islanders to contact their Senators to urge passage of a bill that chooses tolerance and fairness over division and discrimination. I believe that when the roll is called, marriage equality will become law in Rhode Island.

Governor Lincoln Chafee Orders U.S. and State Flags to be Flown at Half-Staff Following the Boston Marathon Bombings

As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on April 15, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts, President Barack Obama has ordered that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, April 20, 2013.

Accordingly, Governor Lincoln D. Chafee has ordered that, in addition to the flag of the United States, the Rhode Island flag fly at half-staff on all public buildings in the State of Rhode Island until that time.

Statement from Governor Lincoln D. Chafee

I was shocked and saddened to learn of the events that have taken place in Boston today. The thoughts and prayers of the people of our state are with the victims and their families and all of our neighbors in Massachusetts.

Representatives of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, National Guard, and State Police are in close contact with their counterparts in Massachusetts and have offered their full support and cooperation during this difficult time.

Thankfully, I have not learned of any Rhode Islanders injured, but my office will provide an update should any further information become available.

Statement from Governor Lincoln D. Chafee Regarding Today’s Situation at the University of Rhode Island

First and foremost, I am relieved and grateful that no one was seriously injured today at the University of Rhode Island.

I commend the Rhode Island State Police, local law enforcement officials, and URI public safety for their quick response and thorough, ongoing investigation into this matter.

While I am pleased that initial reports of an active shooter proved to be unfounded, incidents such as this offer an important opportunity to review our emergency operations, and that will certainly be the case here. We will take a close look at how this serious and potentially dangerous situation was handled.

Keeping students safe and secure is the most important responsibility of schools at all levels, and today’s events are a reminder that we must be vigilant of the potential for dangerous situations to arise in our places of learning.

Statement from Governor Lincoln D. Chafee Regarding a Referendum on Marriage Equality

 Since my time as a state delegate to the Rhode Island Constitutional Convention of 1986, I have been consistent in my view that in a representative democracy lawmakers have the responsibility to make decisions on matters both monumental and routine.

This is a question that should be taken up by the General Assembly, whose members were sent to the State House to represent their constituents and the people of Rhode Island – a majority of whom support marriage equality. Just as the House overwhelming passed the marriage equality bill in January, the Senate should take an up or down vote on this critical issue.

Statement from Governor Lincoln D. Chafee

A great deal of misconception has been generated over the past several days regarding the preliminary findings of the work done by Ken Block. This work was commissioned by my administration for internal use to find any instances of waste, fraud, abuse, or process failure that could be remedied to save taxpayer dollars. These findings are now being reviewed and are currently being turned over to various appropriate agencies for investigation and process corrections to save taxpayer dollars.

I remain committed to transparency and if, at the appropriate time, a determination is made that publicly releasing the information will not jeopardize our ability to root out fraud and abuse, I will certainly do so. The work with Ken Block, the Office of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Human Services is continuing. Additionally, my FY2013 budget contained funding for an integrity unit within OHHS. Those positions are now being filled and recently an RFP has been issued to contract with a vendor to add an additional layer of waste and fraud prevention to the current system.

I have chosen at this time not to release the preliminary findings to protect our ability to adequately investigate them. As I stated on “10 News Conference,” what should matter to Rhode Islanders is that my administration commissioned this work and is acting on it.