Same-sex couples suffered a bitter legislative defeat in Rhode Island on Wednesday night when a bill allowing only civil unions — but not marriage — passed the state Senate, less than one week after New York granted gays and lesbians the right to marry.

The prospects for gay marriage had looked good over the past year, with Gordon D. Fox, the openly gay speaker of the Democratic-controlled state House of Representatives, and independent Gov. Lincoln Chafee supporting a marriage bill. Critics of Wednesday’s action are unhappy because civil unions do not give couples the full legal rights granted by married status, saying that they “establish a second-class citizenry.” –ARK