by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

Rhode Island's Governor Don Carcieri has vetoed a bill that would have added protections for Transgender people to his state's hate crimes laws.

Carcieri announced his decision June 23, saying the new law was unnecessary because Rhode Island state law already prohibits crimes 'motivated by racial, religious, sexual orientation, gender, or disability prejudice.'

HB 7044/SB 2055 added gender identity or expression to Rhode Island's hate crimes statute. It passed in May this year.

The hate crimes bill was one of eight the governor vetoed.

House Speaker Gordon D. Fox issued a statement shortly after Carcieri vetoed the measure.

"I have just learned of the governor's vetoes, which were sent late last night, and have begun to review the veto messages," Fox said. "I made the House membership aware of the eight vetoes this morning. I look forward to discussing these bills further with House members and the Senate leadership. No decision has been made at this time about returning to address the vetoes."

Rhode Island's constitution allows a three-fifths majority of both houses of the state legislature to override the governor's veto.

A previous Carcieri veto was overridden in January this year, on a bill that added domestic partners to the list of people authorized under state law to make funeral arrangements for each other.

Observers consider it unlikely that lawmakers will take a similar approach this time because their session has already ended and they would need to convene a special override session.

"If they do an override session we will push hard for this bill to be considered," Susan Heroux of the activist group Queer Action said.

"The governor of [Rhode Island] has once again shown his disdain for LGBT Rhode Islanders, especially his utter lack of caring about Transgender people who face immense harassment and violence based on how they present their gender," she said.

"One wonders what the governor would do if one of his grandchildren turns out to be Gay or Transgender. Would he continue to not care about us?"

Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) called on LGBT Rhode Islanders to urge their legislators to override Carcieri's veto.

"It's a simple bill but critical for protecting Transgender citizens from violence and harassment - protection all Rhode Islanders deserve," said GLAD Executive Director Lee Swislow in a statement.

The Family Research Council praised Carcieri, however.

"Given the challenges facing America, it's troubling that any legislature would invest time and taxpayer monies to consider such a superfluous agenda-driven maneuver, much less pass it through both Houses," said FRC president Tony Perkins.

"In vetoing the measures, Gov. Carcieri rightly chose to tend to the serious business of governing Rhode Island and rejected those who seek to use government resources against anyone who would oppose their radical agenda."

The Roman Catholic Church also opposed the bill, calling it a "wolf in sheep's clothing" measure intended to promote marriage equality.

Carcieri has been at odds with Rhode Island's LGBT community for a long time.

He sparked widespread outrage after he spoke at a Massachusetts Family Institute fundraiser last October. Carcieri told the gathering he believed marriage was "not a civil right."

The governor's term expires in January.

Attorney General Patrick Lynch, one of the candidates who hopes to succeed him, is campaigning his record of fighting for LGBT civil rights and prosecuting hate crimes.

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