Talk about too little too late. With the Rhode Island marriage bill expected to pass in the state House later this afternoon, NOM – Rhode Island has just announced that “Sen. Ciccone introduces legislation to put SSM before voters”.

The legislation is actually a resolution (S 0096) that would place an anti-marriage equality constitutional amendment on the ballot. The measure would add the following new section to Article I of the Rhode Island Constitution:

Section 25. Marriage. – Marriage shall be recognized and defined in Rhode Island as a lawful union between one man and one woman, provided the recognition and definition of marriage shall not prohibit the recognition of a lawful civil union between two (2) members of the same gender.

The resolution is sponsored by Sen. Frank A. Ciccone III (D-Providence), who proffered a similar measure in 2011 that died in committee (S 0115).